Covid-19: Press freedom has never been so critical
Now more than ever we need responsible media outlets to protect our health and safety
One of the many lessons that we have learnt over these past difficult weeks is that the press is indispensable when it comes to insuring that accurate and timely information is relayed to all.
And literally, during Covid-19 lives depend on how well the established media performs its important duties.
Throughout this coronavirus pandemic, wherever Covid-19 has brought death and unprecedented restrictions of movement and confinement on more than 60 per cent of the world’s population, having a clear and transparent means of public communication has been essential in assisting public health authorities and governments to protect as many people as possible.
Like with you, we face challenges in keeping you fully informed. It has changed how we work, when we work, where we work. But it has not changed the ‘why’ — we bring you authentic news and analysis and all you need to know to the highest professional and responsible standards. That is our creed
While the press may not wear gloves and gowns, it is nevertheless an essential pillar in protecting public health — communicating clearly and effectively, accurately and timely. And in being a touchstone to what is real and what is not.
This pandemic has also shown us that there are too many people who are willing to share too many posts from too many uninformed or plainly dangerous social media platforms.
Many have an agenda of their own. And these posts are unadulterated hocus-pocus, unregulated and go on to undermine the serious challenge and real work of keeping people protected from coronavirus.
On World Press Freedom Day — normally a time when we pause to consider journalists who have died trying to shed the light of truth in the darkest corners of the globe — we have an added responsibility.
It is also a day to pause and reflect on how responsible media is performing given the conditions and regulations that exist. Here, in the UAE, the mainstream media has risen to the challenges of providing you, dear reader, with all of the information to protect you and ensure your safety during this unprecedented pandemic.
Like with you, we face challenges in keeping you fully informed. It has changed how we work, when we work, where we work. But it has not changed the ‘why’ — we bring you authentic news and analysis and all you need to know to the highest professional and responsible standards. That is our creed.
But we do also face unprecedented challenges, with a financial and delivery model that is undermined by multinational social media platforms, which skim huge revenues while having no care for accuracy, integrity or responsibility. Thank you for being loyal to us — we will never undermine that trust.