Covid has demonstrated the need for substance over style in journalism

By Jack White

Few sectors have endured the past year without being affected by the pandemic. Journalism is no different. From mass layoffs to a rise in “clickbait” journalism, the media landscape is undergoing a period of unprecedented evolution.

Perhaps the most interesting trend, as highlighted by data from the World Economic Forum, is the fact that more people than ever before are willing to pay for quality journalism. The research found that while just 16% of consumers currently pay for news, the percentage of those willing to pay for news in the future rises to 53% and is even higher (61%) among those aged 16–24. When this trend is analysed alongside the spread of misinformation over the past year, it becomes clear that the need for quality journalism is more important than ever.

Misinformation, false and often harmful information shared widely regardless of malicious intent, entered the mainstream global consciousness in 2016 after the election of President Donald Trump. Now, Covid-19 has led to misinformation becoming more rife than ever before. Paul Quigley, CEO and co-founder of NewsWhip, an Irish company tracking the spread of news stories and narratives online, said that the reason Covid-19 is such a fertile ground for misinformation is because “the advice evolves, the facts evolve, and our understanding evolves.” Dr Ciara Greene of UCD and Dr Gillian Murphy of UCC, two academics studying the real-world consequences of misinformation in Ireland, gave examples of this. Their research found that with the pandemic there are many different avenues for misinformation to arise. From fake news stories about the Covid-19 tracker app to the efficacy of vaccines, the pandemic is a veritable “whack-a-mole” game for misinformation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) late last year stated that Covid-19 is an “infodemic.” An infodemic is the spread of mostly false information, both offline and online, that can erode trust in official information, weaken or eliminate public compliance, and fuel geopolitical tensions. Noting that “misinformation costs lives,” the WHO called on media platforms to collaborate and strengthen their actions to disseminate accurate information and prevent the spread of misinformation.

It is this infodemic that best explains the willingness of the 16–24 demographic to pay for news. While it is true that paywalls increasingly dominate online news, with The Irish Examiner recently becoming the latest Irish newspaper to adopt an online subscription service, those aged 16–24, as the most active demographic online, have consistently been at the forefront of the infodemic. They are not only frequently directly exposed to misinformation, but also witness first-hand older, potentially less tech-savvy family and friends falling victim to it. Whether directly contributing to violent anti-lockdown protests or leading to low vaccine uptake, falling victim to misinformation has stark real-world consequences.

Among the best defences against the spread of misinformation is a vibrant, authoritative and trusted media environment. Journalists have a vitally important role, not only in reporting the news but also by fact-checking and holding those who are spreading misinformation to account. Ireland is already well-placed in this regard. Data from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland shows that Irish citizens place more trust in the news than citizens in the UK, US and other EU countries.

As Ireland emerges from the pandemic, it must also emerge from the infodemic. Our citizens’ trust in news and the fact that more young people than ever before are willing to pay for quality news are two points that must be built upon if the infodemic is to be overcome. Given the challenges presented by the fact that the traditional model of funding quality journalism through print sales is no longer solely viable for many publications, it may be tempting for editors to look at click rates and page views as the barometer of good journalism. However, the past year has shown, as the Editor of The Irish Examiner, Tom Fitzpatrick, said when announcing that his paper was adopting an online subscription model: “good journalism is worth paying for.”

Data shows the Irish public agrees with him.