Did Covid-19 infect the news? How journalists, audiences and production processes have changed due to the pandemic

Abstract

This article focuses on journalistic activities in the context of the first wave of Covid-19, in 2020, when ahigh presence of post-truth and fake news was identified in news production, which is justified in addressing these two conceptual objects. The objective was to understand how problems in the production process, suchas job insecurity during the pandemic, allowed information gaps, which were filled by misinformation andinfodemics. For this, a quantitative method was used, with the application of an online survey to 365 participantsfrom Ibero-America during 2020, on production processes, work routines, and information generatedduring the quarantine of journalists, and consumption of information during confinement to journalists andonline news receivers. As a result, most journalists have changed their work routine, such as digital datachecking and preference for scientific sources. About half of news receivers valued press work positively,even though news consumption has generated negative prospects. As conclusions, there is a need to reviewcertain productive practices in the journalistic field, during exceptional situations such as the pandemic.