MANILA, PHILIPPINES - MARCH 30: A woman walks along an empty road at the Quiapo shopping district on March 30, 2020 in Manila, Philippines. The Philippine government has sealed off Luzon, the country's largest and most populous island, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Land, sea, and air travel has been suspended, while government work, schools, businesses, and public transportation have been ordered shut in a bid to keep some 55 million people at home. The Philippines' Department of Health has so far confirmed 1,546 cases of the new coronavirus in the country, with at least 78 recorded fatalities. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)
Philippines social news network challenges government’s narrative
As the Philippines is in lockdown and people are at home, social news network Rappler is reaching millions of people through social media stories informing about the virus and challenging the narrative coming from the government.
Rappler is adept in utilising the power and reach of video, particularly on social media, and while it continues to use it for breaking, daily news wrap-ups, and live coverage – particularly as the community lockdowns went into effect two weeks ago – the Rappler Talk series has been especially successful.
CRISIS HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR INFORMATION
A lack of information and an army of trolls
Getting Covid-19 information to the public has been hampered by the government’s lack of information strategy in the Philippines, resulting in confusing, uncoordinated messages from various government officials. The main issue has therefore not been suppression or deceit, but rather a more defensive stance from the part of the government in its communication.
Instead, a palpable mobilisation of troll armies has been visible in the online information sphere – perceived by the public as government-sponsored, -sanctioned, or at the very least, -enabled with the primary objective of defending and rationalising potential failings of government action related to the virus and, to a lesser extent, instigating attacks on legitimate media.
The Rappler Talk series
The Rappler Talk series have been devoted to Covid-19 related content in recent weeks, taking in resource persons from government, the scientific community and medical frontliners and adding real value to the conversations and discussions that audiences are looking for.
Covid-19
A TURNING POINT FOR INDEPENDENT MEDIA?
Around the world, Covid-19 is re-awakening people to the vital role that independent media plays in their societies.
From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, many independent media outlets are seeing their audiences grow as people realise they need quality information to navigate the crisis.