COVID-19 - Fighting ‘infodemic’ and social stigma through community media in India
Among the uncertain flow of information on the internet, messaging has emerged as a key tool towards controlling the spread of the global health crisis. With…
With the idea of generating a genuine flow of information and countering the phenomenon of ‘infodemic’, Archana Kapoor set up a support group for community media practitioners on how to broadcast content related to the COVID-19 crisis.
As part of another UNESCO-supported project on rapid response to COVID-19, her not-for-profit organization Seeking Modern Applications for Real Transformation (SMART) created information sheets for community radio stations in India dealing with issues related to the health crisis. Translated in seven Indian languages, these bulletins have been shared with 250 radio stations with an estimated reach of 70 million people.
“Although we were aware of the government notification related to COVID-19, the medical jargons confused us. Localised content and expert interviews broadcast in the framework of this project have helped us clear the air on the disease and related issues,” shared radio Kumaon Vani in a written testimony.
UNESCO’s Media Development Indicators highlight that while the media is a platform for democratic discourse, the proximity of community media to citizens often allows to reflect social diversity more comprehensively than the mainstream media. Thus, the community media has emerged as an essential service in allaying fears and disseminating credible COVID-related information.
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