COVID-19 as Printed in Newspapers

Kompas

The graph shows the daily COVID-19 cases on March 18, 2020.

The COVID-19 outbreak has lasted almost three months and there is still no end in sight. COVID-19-related issues are dominating the front pages of six major national newspapers.

Who would have thought that the COVID-19 outbreak would last almost three months and that there would be no end in sight? Since mid-January until today, the front pages of six major national newspapers routinely have COVID-19 stories almost every day.

An analysis by Kompas R&D of COVID-19 news content in six national newspapers (comprising Kompas, Media Indonesia, Republika, Koran Tempo, Koran Sindo and Indopos) in January-March portrays how stories of the COVID-19 outbreak are told by these newspapers.

The first cases in Wuhan, China, served as a shocking opening salvo, including for Indonesians. Scores of Indonesian students and workers were trapped in Wuhan and other regions in China when reports of the outbreak first shook the world. Fear peaked as these Indonesians were repatriated.

There were fierce debates when these Indonesians were quarantined in the Natuna Islands. Local resistance in Natuna was understandable as quarantine slowly became the new normal as the virus spread all over the world and took many lives.

As of Thursday (19/3/2020), the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said that 25 people had died from COVID-19 in Indonesia. Widespread anxiety is becoming increasingly unavoidable. The government’s concrete efforts of limiting outdoor activities and telling people to keep social distance with one another in public spaces serve as warnings that COVID-19 must be curbed soon before it spreads further. Panic continues to this day.

KOMPAS/M PASCHALIA JUDITH J

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati (second right) speaks at a press conference titled "Fiscal and Non-Fiscal Stimulus Proposal on the Impact of COVID-19" at the Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister, Jakarta, Friday (13/3/2020).

COVID-19 issues

As the distributor of messages on certain events or phenomena, newspapers have the mission to report COVID-19-related issues correctly and help clear things up for the public. In monitoring the news reports of six major national newspapers, there are several COVID-19-related issues of note.

First, in the beginning of the outbreak, the six major national newspapers generally brought up issues surrounding victims of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2. The exponential rise of the number of victims and its rapid spread to many countries served as a starting point for newspapers to analyze the outbreak as an international emergency.

The increased vigilance was to anticipate higher traffic of travelers between Indonesia and China ahead of the Chinese New Year.

On Jan. 22, for instance, several newspapers reported the outbreak as their main stories. Kompas used the headline “Anticipation for Virus Spread”. The government boosted its vigilance on the new coronavirus’ potential entry to Indonesian territories. This was on the heels of information that the virus was transmissible between humans. The increased vigilance was to anticipate higher traffic of travelers between Indonesia and China ahead of the Chinese New Year.

On the same day, Media Indonesia published a story titled “No Vaccine for Corona”. The government had no vaccine to fight COVID-19. Therefore, people were urged to be alert on the pneumonia-causing virus from Wuhan, China. Indonesia has three pneumonia vaccines, all of which are not suited to fight the coronavirus and could not prevent the virus’ spread.

Koran Sindo wrote a story titled “Pneumonia Plague Spreading Between Humans”. Alarms on the threat of a pneumonia plague were getting louder. The World Health Organization (WHO) considered declaring an international health emergency to urge countries to boost their vigilance following the disease’s rapid spread.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

A resident washes her hands using hand-washing facilities provided during the “Nanti Kita Cerita Tentang Sehat Hari Ini” (Later We Will Tell Stories About Healthy Lives Today” at the Sonobudoyo Museum, Yogyakarta, Thursday (19/3/2020).

The second issue is newspapers’ criticisms on the government’s anticipatory and early detection measures against the increasingly-uncontrollable spread of SARS-CoV-2. On the one hand, newspapers criticized the government’s unpreparedness and lack of speed and transparency in implementing policies. However, on the other hand, the newspapers tried to spread a positive spirit to encourage people to work together in the fight against the deadly virus.

On Feb. 1, Kompas published a story titled “Early Detection Increasingly Difficult”. New findings showed that some people with COVID-19 did not show any symptoms but could spread the disease to other people. This rendered body temperature screenings ineffective. As a result, several countries opted to shut their doors to Chinese visitors.

On the same day, Media Indonesia, published a story titled “Rapid Response in Evacuation”. The repatriation of 243 Indonesians from the Chinese province of Hubei where the virus first spread was done with full speed. WHO announced the coronavirus outbreak in China as an international health emergency.

Covered issues included the looming global economic recession, plummeting tourism, postponement of international meetings and sporting events as well as temporary closures of trade activities in several countries.

Third, issues of economic impact and threat of global recession due to the COVID-19 outbreak were covered comprehensively by newspapers as the number of people with COVID-19 continued to rise. Covered issues included the looming global economic recession, plummeting tourism, postponement of international meetings and sporting events as well as temporary closures of trade activities in several countries.

On Feb. 26, Kompas published an article titled “Reserves of Rp 10.3 Trillion to Soften Economic Impacts”. To curb the outbreak’s negative impacts on the Indonesian and global economies, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo issued fiscal policy packages worth Rp 10.3 trillion (US$652.75 million). The budget was taken from the reserve fund of the 2020 state budget. Various incentives are prepared using these packages.

Regarding the recession, Republika on March 2 published an article titled “Recession Overshadows Global Economy”. The outbreak of COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus continued to spread to various countries and hit the global economy. As the outbreak continued, the world stood on the brink of a recession. Anxiety grew over a potentially severe recession as countries began to report their first fatalities from COVID-19.

The fourth issue is the government’s concrete steps and solutions to curb the virus’ spread. On March 15, President Jokowi urged everyone to study and work from home for two weeks to curb the spread of the virus.

On Feb. 16, Kompas published the story titled “Indonesia Entering Critical Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic”. Indonesia was entering its critical phase in the fight against COVID-19. Failure in preventing the virus’ spread will lead to a surge in the number of cases. Therefore, apart from reducing activities, screenings to detect the virus should be expanded by making it easy for people to check themselves into healthcare facilities.

Therefore, the President urged Indonesians to limit outdoor activities and apply social distancing measures.

On that day, Media Indonesia published a story titled “Productive at Home”. The spread of the virus must be curbed to prevent the disease from infecting more people in Indonesia. Therefore, the President urged Indonesians to limit outdoor activities and apply social distancing measures.

Newsmaker

For almost three months, the COVID-19 outbreak has dominated the front pages of six major national newspapers. Several figures have served as newsmakers, namely figures highlighted by the media as their statements were widely quoted. President Jokowi was the most-quoted newsmaker in COVID-19 news in the six major national newspapers.

The next newsmaker is Achmad Yurianto, as senior Health Ministry official who serves as the government’s spokesperson on all matters related to COVID-19. Achmad’s role in explaining to the press the latest updates in the government’s COVID-19 mitigation efforts places him as the main source of official COVID-19 information.

Upon further tracing, the President, ministers and ministry officials were often attributed as sources in COVID-19 news. Next is the people, who are often asked for their opinions or statements by journalists in COVID-19 reports.

Prevention efforts on COVID-19 is the collective responsibility of the government and the people. No matter how strict the government’s instructions are to limit activities, even to the level of quarantine, COVID-19 mitigation efforts will not mean anything without the people’s active roles in working together to protect one another’s health.

(KOMPAS R&D)