Flushing our newsfeed about the Coronavirus

On social media, there is heavy material covering the Coronavirus. The material is becoming so heavy that students are constantly speaking about the issue around campus, whether it’s serious comments or jokes about the virus.

If you are not up-to-date about the coronavirus, then, according to the World Health Organization, the coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that causes illness ranging from the common cold to severe diseases.

So how are news organizations pushing this content?

One strategy is through using podcasts to inform news consumers about the virus. Tameez mentions how CNN  launched a podcast addressing the frequent questions that citizens are asking about the viruses.

This strategy to turn hard news into a short coverage through podcast fails at the timeliness aspect, using the podcast does not push the material out in a quick manner like a news article. Also, the issue with short covering this virus is that it’s still a current problem with unanswered questions.

Another strategy that BuzzFeed is using is having citizens text the company to ask questions about the outbreak. Then, BuzzFeed will try to respond quickly about the outbreak based on their reporting.

The issue with the text message idea is will the audience use this seriously? For example, will they ask serious concerns or make jokes behind the virus?

Then, how credible will Buzzfeed be if the organization is trying to calm consumers' worries? Will this lead the organization to ignore the facts about the coronavirus?

An additional strategy that is being used is pushing out newsletters about tips on how to avoid getting the virus. Tameez also mentions how BuzzFeed discusses the number of cases in the United States and provides a tip of the day.

This strategy is more interactive with the audience, but it also questions whether following these tips will actually prevent you from coming in contact with the virus? Or is this a strategy to calm down the paranoia of their audiences?

Even prominent figures are using the strategy of giving out tips on how to avoid the coronavirus. For example, here is a screenshot of a recent tweet from Barack Obama.

Overall, there is an understanding on why news organizations are using different strategies to catch the attention of news consumers by covering the coronavirus in different aspects. However, the approach is a little sketchy.

Due to the fact that a serious illness should not be covered in a short manner. There should be logical research, facts, and researchers studying cases on those who have come in contact with the virus. Then, organizations should push media content when all the facts are there.