“How are you coping?” – creating fear in the time of the pandemic

Media is overwhelmed and oversaturated these days by headlines about the Coronavirus. From permanent updates on the number of victims to explainer videos, we are attacked with information.

States have been announced prevention methods, established rules for lockdown and closed borders. In such circumstances, it is the duty of the press to inform everyone about the consequences. But what do we do when the task becomes a burden?

People’s response has been to panic. Having access to sources from all over the world, permanently seeing it on social media, it becomes a source of serious concern.

In Denmark, due to living under the current restrictions, an analysis of the messages that were displayed was possible:

In an interval of five days, 100 headlines have been published. 89% of them are about the virus, the victims or about its consequences in people’s lifestyles. Considering the given feedback from the audience, the Danes are very much aware of the gravity of the situation and are treating it with the appropriate attitude.

But not everyone has the same approach to the events. In the exact same period of time, we can see the pandemic developing, but the audience’s point of view being radically different.

100 headlines were evaluated, 94% of them concerning the virus. But, the message has generated a totally different wave of feelings among the audience.

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