Tools to support journalists and newsrooms during COVID-19
Our project is creating and collating resources to help you improve your reporting on COVID-19. Sign up to our e-bulletin to receive a weekly digest of rumour analysis, resources and content straight to your inbox.
Our resources are free for you to use and adapt. If you, or your newsroom, would like to request specific resources, provide feedback or would like to let us know when our tools have been useful, you can email us at any time at .
Social Media Rumour Bulletin
Internews is working with Translators without Borders, Standby Task Force and BBC Media Action to collect and analyse rumours and misinformation related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 disease.
This bi-weekly bulletin analyses Social Media data in eight languages across Asia: Thai, Khmer, Urdu, Bahasa Indonesia, Simplified Chinese, Tagalog, Hindi and Vietnamese.
Edition #6, June 24, 2020: English (final edition)
Edition #5, June 10, 2020: English, Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog (Special Edition)
Edition #4, May 27, 2020: English, Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi, Vietnamese, Thai, Simplified Chinese
Edition #3, May 13, 2020: English, Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese
Edition #2, April 29, 2020: English, Bahasa Indonesia, Thai, Vietnamese
Edition #1, April 15, 2020: English
Rumour Guidelines:
Plain language summaries of the current research and scientific evidence related to common rumours seen on Social Media in the region and guidance for journalists in responding to the rumour in their context.
Rumours selected are based on trending topics as identified by our Social Media rumour tracking activities. If there is a rumour you are struggling to respond to, or would like us to produce guidance on a specific topic, please contact us.
- Rumour: Favipiravir/Avigan and how to report on new ‘miracle’ drugs (posted 27 May 2020)
- Rumour: Can COVID-19 be sexually transmitted? Also available in Hindi, Vietnamese, Thai, Bangla, and Bahasa Indonesia (Posted 27 May 2020)
- Rumour: How to report accurately on COVID-19 vaccine development Also available in Bahasa Indonesia, Bangla, Hindi, Vietnamese, Thai (Posted 20 May 2020)
- Rumour: Unproven treatments – Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine – Analysis of the current scientific evidence on the use of these drugs and guidance on how to report on this rumour. Also available in Bahasa Indonesia, Bangla, Hindi, Thai and Vietnamese (Posted 27 April 2020)
- Rumour: Is SARS-Cov2 an airborne virus? What is an airborne virus and what do we know about COVID-19 and its ability to survive and spread in the air? Also available in Bahasa Indonesia, Bangla, Hindi, Thai and Vietnamese (Posted 27 April 2020)
- Rumour: COVID-19 reinfections: Guidance to help journalists report on the question of whether patients are immune after recovering from COVID-19. Also available in Thai and Vietnamese (Posted April 14)
Journalist Factsheets and Guidelines
Resources to build skills in health and science reporting and to address key challenges facing journalists during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Tips: Your safety as a journalist reporting COVID-19: practical tools for journalists and newsrooms to keep safe while reporting in this crisis. Available in English, Hindi, Vietnamese, Bangla and Thai
- Guidance: Reporting on clinical trials: eight simple steps to help journalists to understand the role and limitations of clinical trials. Also available in Bahasa Indonesia, Bengali, Burmese, Thai and Vietnamese
- Guidance: Staying safe during Ramadan Also available in Hindi, Thai, Bahasa Indonesia, Bangla and Urdu
- Guidance: Using situation reports (sitreps) as story inspiration
- Guidance: Self-care for journalists during COVID-19
- Tips: Tools for news reporting during physical distancing. Also available in Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi, Thai, Bangla and Vietnamese
- Guidance: Tools for Data Visualisation. Also available in Bahasa Indonesia, Vietnamese, Bangla, Hindi, Thai
- Guidance: How to prepare your media audience for a safe return to work. Also available in Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi and Tagalog
- Guidance: Reporting on ‘the second wave’, also available in Bahasa Indonesia and Tagalog
- Guidance: Reporting on and with vulnerable populations: LGBTQ+ People. Also available in Tagalog and Bahasa Indonesia
Infographics
- Guidelines for reporting on clinical trials: visual presentation of eight simple steps to help journalists to understand the role and limitations of clinical trials. Also available in Bahasa Indonesia, Bangla, Burmese, Hindi, Vietnamese.
- Guidance: Find Stories in Sitreps: this handy guide will help you to find creative story inspiration among dry organisational updates. Also available in Bahasa Indonesia and Thai.
Webinars
Internews is organising a series of webinars in local languages to connect journalists with health professionals and provide support in responding to rumours and misinformation. You can access all the Internews media support webinars on our dedicated Youtube channel.
Latest Webinars:
- Droplet vs. Airborne Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: Updated Guidance on Mask Use (English), July 21, 2020
- COVID-19: Safety and Sustainability Challenges for Journalists (Bangla, English), July 17, 2020
- Migrants in Thailand: Information Needs, Flow and Access (Thai), July 1, 2020
- Migrants in Thailand: Information Needs, Flow and Access (English), June 30, 2020
- COVID-19: How the Media Can Remember Gender (Tagalog), June 24, 2020
- 100 Days in the Pandemic – Fighting the Virus of Stigma & Discrimination of Migrant Workers (Bahasa Indonesia), June 19, 2020
- Media & COVID-19 pandemic: The 100-Day Challenge (Khmer), June 17, 2020
- COVID-19 and the return of migrant workers in South Asia (English), June 2, 2020
- What the Climate Crisis Looks Like in a Covid-Altered World (English), June 2, 2020 – from the Internews Earth Journalism Network
- Reporting on Social and Economic impacts of COVID-19 (Thai), May 29, 2020
- World Press Freedom Day 2020: COVID-19 and Responsible Reporting (English), May 7, 2020
- COVID-19 and the Environmental Crisis: Harnessing Data to Expose Inequality and Wildlife Trafficking (English), May 6, 2020 – from the Internews Earth Journalism Network
- Reducing stigma and prejudice in Covid-19 reporting (Thai), May 4, 2020
- Using Data to Investigate Pangolin Trafficking (English), April 28, 2020 – from the Internews Earth Journalism Network
- The Role of the Wildlife Trade in the Spread of Zoonotic Diseases (English), April 23, 2020 – from the Internews Earth Journalism Network
- How Do Scientists Detect and Prevent Viruses with Pandemic Potential from Emerging? (English), April 22, 2020 – from the Internews Earth Journalism Network
- COVID-19: Getting the Science Rights and Distinguishing Facts from Rumors (Khmer), April 17, 2020
- Staying safe while reporting on COVID-19 (English), April 15, 2020 – from the Internews Earth Journalism Network
- Role of Media in Covering the COVID-19 Outbreak in Thailand: Reporting accurately & how to stay safe (Thai), April 9, 2020
- Zoonotic Diseases: Wildlife Trade, the Disruption of Ecosystems, and the Spread of Epidemics (English), April 2, 2020 – from the Internews Earth Journalism Network
- COVID-19 – Media skills series: responsible reporting on rumours (Bahasa Indonesia), March 20, 2020