The World Association of Press Councils has expressed its serious concern over the catastrophic effects of COVID 19 pandemic on the media all over the world. It is an irony that like many other warriors against corona, the media has become a victim in itself both as individual as well as institutional level, for the first time in the history of the world.

 

Several journalists have died of the dreaded disease while reporting on the pandemic in different countries. Many have contaminated the disease from the scores of patients since they work in the same environment. Many more are kept under observation facing an uncertain future.

 

But apart from this natural calamity, the economic consequence COVID 19 is just devastating on the media. At institutional level some newspapers, magazines, periodicals, TV channels, online media and other digital media have stopped publications or operations altogether. But many other media including in big categories and established ones have stopped their publications or operations from different places.  Some of them have also truncated their pages and contents. All these unprecedented measures are taken by the media houses ostensibly on the ground that their main  revenue from advertisements have become less since the pandemic had equally devastating effect on their  revenue which is mainly advertisements both Government and private.

 

But unfortunately, loss of revenue has a cascading effect on the    individual level of scores of journalists belonging to all types of media. Some of them have lost their jobs while many others faced salary cuts. Many other coercive measures like forced leave, leave without pay, and reduction of working hours have been taken by the management and owners.

 

Pertinent to note that there is no reduction in readership or view ship of print, electronic or other media. People buy newspapers, see TV and scan through the online media. Governments of most countries keep releasing advertisements to the media. In fact, many advertisements in the form of awareness campaigns about the pandemic are released to the media houses routinely every day. Readership, viewership and hits have in fact increased since people are locked down for a prolonged period and movement is restricted.

 

But it is an irony that the media houses are killing the massagers who are fighting the pandemic like any other health professionals. Several appeals by the journalists themselves and through their associations/unions have fallen into the deaf years of the management, owners and above all Governments.  

 

The WAPC, an umbrella organization of Press Councils and similar bodies of different counties of the globe during its series of unique on-line meeting “Media Before and After the Coronavirus Pandemic,” appeals to the media house owners and management not to resort to such practice like dismissing the journalists or cutting their pays or stopping them to work. It also urges the respective Governments to intervene immediately and save the media which is the fourth pillar of democracy.

 

Initiating the discussion, Prof (Dr) Sule Aker, President of the WAPC, advised the fellow media persons to remain careful and disseminate authentic news about the dreaded disease. She also urged all Government and Media Houses to keep the interest of the media persons uppermost in their mind. Dr  Aker said that it is a universal acknowledgement of the need for a free and unrestricted media She recalled that the  UN Secretary-General, António Guterres has already called for greater protection of journalists who are providing the “antidote” to what he has characterized as a pandemic of misinformation surrounding the COVID-19 crisis.

 

Mr. Kishor Shrestha, Secretary General of the WAPC and Chairman of the Press Council Nepal urged all Governments to come to the aid of the journalists who are fighting the “war” against virus like scores of health professionals and others.

 

First Vice President of WAPC Mr. Aflatun Amashov said that the Azerbaijan Press Council has made a series of recommendations to the Government for journalists working at this period of crisis. He gave a picture of the media in central Asia.  

 

Mr Ali Hanserli   represented Chairperson; Ms Pinar Chairperson of the Turkish Press Coucnil spoke about the condition of the media during this pandemic in this part of Europe.Ms.Ziada of the Press Council of Tanzania spoke about the pitiable condition of the media in African countries.

 

Other Members from Asia, Africa, Europe and other parts of the globe participated in the lengthy conference.

 

At the end WAPC decided to apprise the sorry state of affairs of the media though each Press/Media Council/Commission and Government through the Members of that country and region for immediate intervention and redress.  At the same time WAPC which is recognized by the United Nations also decided to approach the UN and other UN affiliated bodies like UNESCO to help mitigate the plight of the media. WAPC as the only forum of global media will extend all help and assistance in this measure during this period of unprecedented pandemic.

 

Kishor Shrestha 

secretary general 

WAPC

15th June,2020