April 2020

As Europe Confronts Coronavirus, the Media Faces a Trust Test

How coverage of the coronavirus in Italy, Spain, France, and Germany has impacted trust in news outlets. Read the story.

From the editor

Who could have imagined just two months ago that people around the world would be quarantined at home, in fear of contracting a virus, as hospitals overflowed and the economy tanked? Listeners to “Pandemic!!!” could. The podcast, produced by the "Science Vs" team at Gimlet Media, explored what would happen if a potentially fatal disease rapidly spread around the globe. The events depicted in “Pandemic!!!” are fictional — an example of “speculative journalism,” in which the narrative techniques of science fiction are merged with the journalistic reporting of scientific fact — but the implications of those events are all too real.

The story on speculative journalism is part of our coronavirus pandemic-related coverage and is featured below in this, our latest Nieman Reports newsletter, now published monthly. We’ll highlight our best work on thought leadership in journalism. Since the pandemic began, we’ve published, among other stories, articles on covering voter suppression during social distancing, how the Danish government’s support for news outlets could be obstructing innovation, and Corona Diaries, a platform created by members of the 2019 Nieman group for audio clips about how people are coping with the coronavirus.

Between newsletters, of course, you can find Nieman Reports coverage on our Facebook and Twitter accounts and, for dispatches from Cambridge and from Nieman alumni around the world, check out the Nieman Foundation’s Instagram

Sincerely,

James Geary
Editor, Nieman Reports

Speculative Journalism Can Help Us Prepare for What’s to Come. Could It Also Promote Misinformation?

This narrative technique can help audiences think about the future in more concrete terms. But critics question if integrating science fiction into journalism is responsible.
Read more

During the Coronavirus Crisis, Coverage of State Capitals Is More Essential than Ever

Times of extraordinary government power require extraordinary accountability reporting.
Read more

What Role Should Newsrooms Play in Debunking COVID-19 Misinformation?

When conspiracies pass a tipping point, newsrooms working collectively to push out strong debunks can slow the spread of myths and misinformation.
Read more

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