Journalists provide ‘antidote’ to Covid-19 misinformation: UN chief
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Friday
January 27, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023
Journalists provide ‘antidote’ to Covid-19 misinformation: UN chief

Coronavirus chronicle

TBS Report
02 May, 2020, 02:30 pm
Last modified: 02 May, 2020, 05:12 pm

Related News

  • China says Covid deaths down by nearly 80 percent
  • Updated Covid vaccines prevented illness from latest variants -CDC
  • US proposes once-a-year Covid shots for most Americans
  • Covid-19 cut known human trafficking, but Ukraine war a risk: UN
  • New Omicron subvariant accounts for nearly half US new Covid infections

Journalists provide ‘antidote’ to Covid-19 misinformation: UN chief

“As the pandemic spreads, it has also given rise to a second pandemic of misinformation, from harmful health advice to wild conspiracy theories”

TBS Report
02 May, 2020, 02:30 pm
Last modified: 02 May, 2020, 05:12 pm
File photo: UN Secretary-General António Guterres/ Reuters
File photo: UN Secretary-General António Guterres/ Reuters

The UN Secretary-General has called for greater protection of journalists who are providing the "antidote" to what he characterized as a pandemic of misinformation surrounding the Covid-19 crisis.

António Guterres made the appeal in a video message for World Press Freedom Day, observed this coming Sunday, in which he underscored the crucial role media has in helping people make informed decisions, reported UN News.

He added that under the current circumstances, those decisions can make the difference between life and death.

"As the pandemic spreads, it has also given rise to a second pandemic of misinformation, from harmful health advice to wild conspiracy theories", he said.

"The press provides the antidote: verified, scientific, fact-based news and analysis."

As the Covid-19 crisis has deepened, both the UN chief and the World Health Organization (WHO) have been focused on countering the Covid-19 "infodemic".

In late March, the Secretary-General announced the launch of a communications strategy to fight the rise in misinformation and conspiracy theories surrounding the new disease.

Retaliation against media

Guterres urged governments to protect journalists and others who work in media, and to uphold press freedom.

He said while temporary movement constraints are essential to beat back Covid-19, "they must not be abused as an excuse to crack down on journalists' ability to do their work".

Meanwhile, a UN independent human rights expert reported that since the start of the disease outbreak, he has received "alarming accounts" of retaliation against journalists, under the guise of spreading disinformation.

David Kaye, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, has documented these threats in his latest report to the UN Human Rights Council, which oversees his mandate.

Free jailed journalists

Kaye underlined the critical role of a free press, especially during a health crisis.

In recent months, independent media has been "an essential lever for public information", he said, with journalists uncovering stories of government deception while also helping people everywhere to understand the nature and scope of the pandemic.

Therefore, detaining journalists for doing their job runs in direct opposition to the obligation to ensure an enabling environment for the media, he said. Roughly 250 journalists worldwide are currently behind bars, according to data from the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Coronavirus Portal & News Updates

Readers can find information and guidance on the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from the UN, World Health Organization and UN agencies here.

For daily news updates from UN News, click here.

"At a time when disease outbreaks spread through detention facilities, detention's cruelty is exposed, imposing an additionally excessive punishment that carries with it the risk of illness and death", said Mr. Kaye, who is not a UN staff member nor paid by the Organization.

"The criminalisation of journalism must end. That can start with releasing journalists from detention as a matter of urgency".

Media provides facts; holds leaders to account

In his press freedom day message, the UN chief thanked the media "for providing facts and analysis; for holding leaders – in every sector – accountable; and for speaking truth to power".

He particularly recognized those journalists playing "a life-saving role" in reporting on public health.

"And we call on governments to protect media workers, and to strengthen and maintain press freedom, which is essential for a future of peace, justice and human rights for all", he concluded.

Top News

Antonio Guterres / journalist / COVID-19 / Misinformation

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Manufacturers feel the pinch as consumers tighten belt
    Manufacturers feel the pinch as consumers tighten belt
  • Sugar turning bitter!
    Sugar turning bitter!
  • Ministries, divisions with highest allocation lag in ADP implementation
    Ministries, divisions with highest allocation lag in ADP implementation

MOST VIEWED

  •  A medical worker checks the IV drip treatment of a patient lying on a bed in the emergency department of a hospital, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China, January 5, 2023. REUTERS/Staff
    China says Covid deaths down by nearly 80 percent
  • Sean Bagley, 14, receives the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) booster vaccine targeting BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub variants at Skippack Pharmacy in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 8, 2022. REUTERS/Hannah Beier
    Updated Covid vaccines prevented illness from latest variants -CDC
  • People embrace at the international arrivals gate at Beijing Capital International Airport after China lifted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quarantine requirement for inbound travellers in Beijing, China January 8, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
    China says peak Covid infections exceeded 7 million daily, deaths more than 4,000 daily
  • A woman holds a small bottle labelled with a "Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine" sticker and a medical syringe in this illustration taken October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo
    US proposes once-a-year Covid shots for most Americans
  • The United Nations headquarters building is pictured though a window with the UN logo in the foreground in the Manhattan borough of New York August 15, 2014. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri (UNITED STATES
    Covid-19 cut known human trafficking, but Ukraine war a risk: UN
  • Medical workers attend to patients at the intensive care unit of the emergency department at Beijing Chaoyang hospital, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Beijing, China December 27, 2022. China Daily via REUTERS
    China reports nearly 13,000 Covid deaths over last week

Related News

  • China says Covid deaths down by nearly 80 percent
  • Updated Covid vaccines prevented illness from latest variants -CDC
  • US proposes once-a-year Covid shots for most Americans
  • Covid-19 cut known human trafficking, but Ukraine war a risk: UN
  • New Omicron subvariant accounts for nearly half US new Covid infections

Features

According to the CAB president Ghulam Rahman, one of the most common complaints of consumers is being deceived by sellers when it comes to the weight of goods. Photo: TBS

Has the Directorate improved consumer rights in Bangladesh?

1d | Panorama
A 2022 survey of 1,000 companies by professional services consultancy PwC found that between a sixth and a quarter had used AI in recruitment or employee retention in the past 12 months. Illustration: Bloomberg

AI is coming to your workplace. Is the world ready?

1d | Panorama
Edison Desdemona, the newly launched stellar project of Edison Real Estate, located at Bashundhara Residential Area. Photo: Courtesy

EDISON DESDEMONA: A creation like no other

2d | Habitat
BruTown by PARTI.studio. Photo: Junaid Hasan Pranto

Interesting ceiling design ideas to elevate any space

2d | Habitat

More Videos from TBS

Kajol’s road paintings bring change in Gafargaon

Kajol’s road paintings bring change in Gafargaon

6h | TBS Stories
Carew & Company witnessed a remarkable growth

Carew & Company witnessed a remarkable growth

7h | TBS Stories
PCB recalls cricketers from BPL ahead of PSL

PCB recalls cricketers from BPL ahead of PSL

9h | TBS SPORTS
Why Misha Sawdagar became villain instead of a Hero?

Why Misha Sawdagar became villain instead of a Hero?

8h | TBS Entertainment

Most Read

1
Picture: Collected
Bangladesh

US Embassy condemns recent incidents of visa fraud

2
Four top bankers arrested in DSA case filed by S Alam group 
Bangladesh

Four top bankers arrested in DSA case filed by S Alam group 

3
Illustration: TBS
Banking

16 banks at risk of capital shortfall if top 3 borrowers default

4
A frozen Beyond Burger plant-based patty. Photographer: AKIRA for Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Special

Fake meat was supposed to save the world. It became just another fad

5
Photo: Collected
Splash

Hansal Mehta responds as Twitter user calls him 'shameless' for making Faraaz

6
Ctg Port Gets A Boost: The Chattogram port officially starts to berth vessels with 10 metres drought on Monday. As of now, only 9.5m draught vessels could anchor at the port, each carrying 2,500 TEUs. But the 10m draught ship will be able to carry 4,000 TEUs, bumping up the port’s container handling capacity and bringing down costs. The photo was taken recently from the port area. Photo: Mohammed Minhaj Uddin
Bangladesh

Dollar crisis: 3 ships with 54,000 tonnes of goods get stuck at Ctg port

EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]