What Is Good Infectious Disease Reporting? : The Role of Journalism Examined through a Meta-analysis of COVID-19 News Research

Key Points

• This research aims to evaluate the quality of COVID-19 reporting in South Korea through a qualitative meta-analysis.
• Conducted a qualitative meta-analysis of academic papers on COVID-19 reporting.
• Categorized findings into journalist behavior, reporting frames, and effects of reporting.
• Analyzed recurring issues such as information source reliance and sensationalist language.
• Identified reliance on government sources and single-perspective reporting as major issues.
• Noted a lack of contextual explanation and repeated reliance on press releases.
• Found risks of social conflict linked to accountability and partisan framing in news coverage.

Abstract