The corona crisis has us firmly in its grip and the media is full of news about the virus. Well-founded and serious information is undoubtedly necessary, but the reporting is usually very one-sided. This raises the question: is it really necessary to report the number of new infections and deaths every day? Does it make sense to report on developments in other countries on a page-by-page basis every day - and exclude other important reports in the process?
The Professional Association of Austrian Psychologists writes in its information sheet "How to survive domestic isolation and quarantine": "Consciously shape your media consumption in relation to COVID-19 and limit it. Being repeatedly confronted with certain images and descriptions, even from reputable media, is not helpful, but stressful."
The learned helplessness
"Only bad news is good news" is one of the guiding principles of journalism. One explanation for this is that, in the course of evolution, we have been programmed to give more weight to negative information than positive information because this has ensured our survival. Now, however, it is no longer the case that a sabre-toothed tiger lurks around every corner. On the contrary - our world is safer than ever, even if some politicians and the media like to portray it differently. Bad news dulls our senses, leads to resignation and even worse - to fear and helplessness.
"If we are only ever presented with what is wrong in our world, this not only creates an overly negative world view and possibly chronic stress, which can make us ill. It also leaves us feeling helpless," writes neuroscientist Maren Urner in her book "Schluss mit dem täglichen Weltuntergang". And: "A well-known phenomenon in psychology plays a role here, known as learned helplessness." People who feel resigned and helpless no longer believe they can change things for the better. And that tends to be counterproductive in times of growing challenges such as the climate crisis.
Identify possible solutions
A survey conducted by the opinion research institute forsa on behalf of TV broadcaster RTL revealed that almost half of respondents find the daily news too negative: 45% of respondents felt that TV news was "too problematic", 35% admitted that TV news made them anxious and 80% wanted solutions. In a survey conducted by the BBC World Service, around two thirds of under-35s stated that they "want news that offers solutions to problems; not just news that informs them about certain issues".
This is where constructive or solution-oriented journalism comes in - a term coined by Ulrik Haagerup. The former head of information at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation specifically looked for constructive approaches to the news that would give people hope. He wanted to show the whole of reality and not just the bad news of the day. This concept worked: The ratings for news programs rose during his leadership. "Do we see the world with both eyes or only with the eye that wants to create the best story?" asks the media maker in his book "Constructive News". Constructive journalism does not mean seeing the world through rose-colored glasses or focusing exclusively on positive news. It is about taking a broader view of problems and challenges and pointing out possible solutions. This type of reporting aims to encourage personal responsibility and provide encouragement.
Environmental awareness protects against diseases
Back to the corona crisis: the one-sided reporting also means that other topics are given far too little attention; the climate crisis or species extinction - and possible solutions - no longer seem to exist. In recent weeks, there have only been a few news items on the latest climate report from the World Meteorological Organization or the UNESCO World Water Report. The latter states that climate change is leading to less water and poorer water quality. Conversely, effective water management contributes to climate protection.
It is already clear that the coronavirus crisis will change many things and may have a positive impact on how we view environmental and climate protection in the future. The story of the spread of the coronavirus is interesting, for example: it started at a market in Wuhan, China, where wild animals were on sale; the disease was most likely transmitted by an animal. Such infectious diseases that cross the species barrier are called zoonoses. Zoologists have now discovered that in undisturbed rainforests, where numerous animal species are well-mixed, viruses find it more difficult to find suitable hosts. Sooner or later, this leads to a halt in their spread. In habitats disturbed by humans, on the other hand, there are fewer species and it is easier for the virus to spread. The consequence of this is that environmental protection and avoiding deforestation of rainforests are the best protection against zoonoses.
Contexts such as these are often missing in many media, including in connection with the environmental and climate crisis. In order to establish constructive reporting, however, we need independent media that are not financed by political parties. And that do not use the prevailing uncertainty in the face of a virus to put media consumers in a kind of state of shock with one-sided reporting.
Newspapers and magazines such as Perspective Daily, Option or the Original Magazine show that there is another way. We could also read these articles and share them on social media.
And don't just stand by and watch! We can contact the media directly, e.g. in the form of letters to the editor or comments on social media.
Climate crisis, environmental destruction, species extinction: Numerous studies show that we don't have much time left to turn the tide. While the economy continues to focus on unchecked growth and politicians are practising standstill, more and more people around the world are rising up to protest and campaign for the change that is urgently needed. What each and every one of us can contribute and how we can get politicians to act is shown below. this book.About Susanne Wolf
Freelance journalist and author specializing in the environment, climate and sustainability. In her work, she emphasizes a constructive approach that encourages and inspires initiative. Unconventional thinker, activist, mother of two.
