The Thomson Foundation, in collaboration with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Dart Centre Europe, has launched an online course to ensure the safety of journalists, as well as the people they work with and meet when they are covering a pandemic such as COVID-19.
Participants will learn how to conduct interviews and gather information at a time when restrictions on movement and contact create enormous challenges for journalists.
The course draws on coverage of previous epidemics and pandemics such as Sars and Ebola and includes examples of best practices devised by journalists and media organisations covering the Covid-19 outbreak.
It is designed to help keep reporters, their colleagues, friends and family safe but ultimately enable journalists to continue to cover the story at a time when people are relying on journalists to keep them informed.
During the course, participants will learn to be able to adapt their working practices and the way they use their equipment to achieve the most effective coverage during the challenges of reporting during a pandemic and they will find out about the processes and checks required to plan for coverage of Covid-19 for field reporters and news-desk based staff.
The online course will teach what measures to take to minimise risk from infection, or infecting others, when covering the Covid–19 Pandemic; introduce participants to practical steps to take when using equipment to record audio and video during a pandemic such as Covid-19 and they will be introduced to the potential emotional consequences of covering a pandemic, how to handle those consequences and where to seek help if needed.
The course can be completed within 4 hours across multiple sections.
To enrol for the course, please go to: https://thomsonfoundation.edcastcloud.com/learn/reporting-on-covid-19-safety-self-paced.
