Media Analysis Assignment: Reportage Of Policy Concerning COVID-19

Question

Task: Identify and describe three different media site’s coverage of the global COVID-19 pandemic and prepare a media analysis assignment using specific examples from each site.

Answer

Introduction
The study developed in this media analysis assignment identifies and critically analyzes the political values that lie in three media sites’ coverage of global Covid-19 pandemic.

Media Site Coverage Example 1
(https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/singapore-races-to-build-beds-for-covid-19-patients-as-cases-surge-20200426-p54nd4.html) The coverage by Sydney Morning Herald describes the way Singapore moves forward to build beds for covid-19 patients at a fast rate as case surges. The article shows the way Singapore is reacting efficiently to build bed space for patients, especially for low paid migrant workers. The city has faced high-rise in the number of coronavirus patients where 931 new cases were registered on 25 April 2020. For example, the coverage showed that according to health ministry, the total case at that time rose to 13,624 in Singapore due to outbreak among migrant Asian workers who lived in cramped dormitory (Su &Geddie, 2020). The transparency in the numbers covered by the report and the clear number shared by the government agency such as health ministry shows the ideological values demonstrated in the coverage. The number of cases increasing every day and the reason behind such increase has clearly been covered in the coverage. The coverage about the covid-19 pandemic demonstrates the social ideological value where correct kind of content is shared about the pandemic with the society (McClelland, 2006). For example, the coverage shows the way Singapore is prepared to help low paid workers through well-prepared isolation centers and beds (Su &Geddie, 2020). Thus, the coverage demonstrates ethical responses of the government towards covid-19 sufferers where it included even the lower groups of society for better healthcare provision.

However, the coverage also shows poor political ideology of social conservatism where there are moral issues in the report (Bacchi& Goodwin, 2016). For example, the report only shows the increase in number of covid-19 cases among low paid workers (Su &Geddie, 2020). It states that Singapore was a low infection economy and the only cases that rose in Singapore was due to migrant workers. This coverage is morally wrong because Singapore has cases from affluent groups also; however, the coverage directly blames China, India, Japan and Pakistan for increases cases in Singapore where most cases are from migrant low paid workers.

Thus, these factors of transparency and social ideology covered in this media analysis assignment positively impacts reportage and representations of policy related to covid-19 because it helps in clearly representing true information that can be useful for citizens in the time of pandemic. These factors allow the media to present policy in truthful and honest manner with detailed information on health provision facilities for workers. However, moral issues in political ideology will make reportage on covid-19 biased and negative for the citizens and generate wrong message from the representation of new policies.

Media site Coverage Example 2
(https://www.smh.com.au/world/central-america/coronavirus-spreads-fear-through-latin-america-s-unruly-prisons-20200428-p54nuw.html) The second media coverage by Sydney Morning Herald shows the Latin America’s crowded prisons are facing huge fear from spread of coronavirus. The coverage of the pandemic by the site represents a positive ideological value where there is transparency of government reportage on the number of covid-19 cases and responses taken for the pandemic. For example, the site clearly shares that more than 300 prisoners are affected by coronavirus and 1100 inmates of the prison are terrified (Vergara,2020). Moreover, there are clear evidence in the coverage by the site that even with rising number of cases Latin America has taken no responses like social distancing practices. The media has clearly shown the poor conditions in cell that lead to rise of covid-19 cases. Further, the coverage portrayed in this section of media analysis assignmentdemonstrates positive ideologies such as there are positive changes in taken-for-granted ideologies of the citizen in social democracies (McClelland, 2006). The caretakers of prisoners have taken their freedom for granted to treat the prisoners. However, the media coverage has clearly shown the way Department of Corrections and Dominican Republic has changed their taken-for granted freedom of treating the prisoners badly and made sure that the prisons are following mass testing and quarantine rules. For example, Dominican Republic conducted more than 5500 inmates in La Victoria prison and Department of Corrections tested more than 9000 inmates in US territory (Vergara,2020).

Moreover, the coverage also demonstrates poor ideological values such as lack of ethical responses by the government of Latin America. Forexample, health provision and facilities in Latin America excludes the prisoners. Moreover, low budgets also facilitate creation of ideal conditions for virus to spread (Vergara,2020). There are provision of poor quality soap and water for the prisoners and cells are small that makes it crowded. This shows the poor ideological values demonstrated in the coverage in relation to the pandemic. It shows the way some section of the society is excluded from care system and this has been the major reason behind the rise of covid-19 cases among inmates and prison staff.

The factors identified in the media coverage site influence the reportage and representation of covid-19 policy. The positive ideologies of enhanced surveillance and transparency of government reportage positively influence the representations of covid-19 policy and procedure (Vergara,2020). These two factors made reportage strong and true on covid-19 among prisoners that are not covered easily by other media sites. Moreover, the negative factor of unethical responses by prisons makes representation of covid-19 actions poor due to lack of ethical or moral values.

Media site Coverage Example 3
(https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/05/poverty-kills-people-coronavirus-life-expectancy-britain) The present media analysis assignment examines the the third media coverage by Guardian which shows the way coronavirus pandemic is killing poor people where they are deprived of proper care and facilities. The death is doubling among low paid workers and their families. The coverage shows positive political values or agenda where government is rethinking of allocating power of better health in the hands of poor as well. The coverage demonstratepositive ideologies or collection of ideas where the government has planned to improve the access of healthcare to poor section of the society with the rise of covid-19 effect (Bacchi& Goodwin, 2016). For example, it shows that National Health System has packs of health care units with equality features such as low paid intensive care, intensive care baby cots for disadvantaged families and others (Toynbee,2020). The coverage thus represent a fruitful coverage of the pandemic that is the disadvantages society, which is excluded by most of the reasons.

The coverage of the pandemic also demonstrates negative political ideologies among the society such as conservatism. This is because the society favors class discrimination where the rich class are healthier and get better health provisions compared to poor section ((Bacchi& Goodwin, 2016). There are clear representation of unethical responses where hospital triage practices excludes certain groups of society from care. For example, the report states that people in deprive or poor areas are dying more from coronavirus than in affluent areas. This show the governments have largely supported the negative ideology in the society that created the health and wealth divide (Toynbee,2020). There is lack of social sensitiveness among the societies. Moreover, there is negative ideology of lack of transparency of government on reporting true figures about covid-19 cases among rich and the poor.

These factors influence the reportage of policy in the Covid-19 situation where the positive ideology represents the development of health facility and reduction in health gaps between the poor and rich during the covid-19 situation. On the other hand, the negative ideology of conservatism has negative influence on reportage of covid-19 policy by reducing their ability to report facts and correct policy in the pandemic situation (Toynbee,2020). Thus, the coverage done by this site had left loopholes and poor reportage due to lack of adequate data on covid-19 cases among rich and poor.

Conclusion
Therefore, it can be stated herein media analysis assignment that the three sites has shown different kinds of ideologies including both positive and negative and this has influenced the representation of covid-19 policy in a great way.

References
Bacchi, C., & Goodwin, S. (2016). Making politics visible: The WPR approach.In Poststructural Policy Analysis (pp. 13-26). Palgrave Pivot, New York.

McClelland, A. (2006). What is social policy. Social policy in Australia: Understanding for action, Oxford University Press, Sydney.

Su, E.&Geddie, J. (2020).Singapore races to build beds for COVID-19 patients as cases surge. Media analysis assignment Retrieved 26 August 2020, from https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/singapore-races-to-build-beds-for-covid-19-patients-as-cases-surge-20200426-p54nd4.html

Toynbee, P. (2020). Poverty kills people: after coronavirus we can no longer ignore it. Retrieved 26 August 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/05/poverty-kills-people-coronavirus-life-expectancy-britain

Vergara, E. (2020). Coronavirus spreads fear through Latin America's crowded prisons. Retrieved 26 August 2020, from https://www.smh.com.au/world/central-america/coronavirus-spreads-fear-through-latin-america-s-unruly-prisons-20200428-p54nuw.html