I am compelled, like most in the world, to share my views on the latest global pandemic (or almost pandemic) of swine flu. My interest, as someone who works in communications, is how and why the outbreak has been reported within the media the way it has.
In terms of infection levels, swine flu is very similar to Avian flu (bird flu) and SARS (if you can think far back enough to those outbreaks). However, the coverage that swine flu has received does feel a little more intense and menacing in its predicted effects. For example a Google search of bird flu, which has been on the radar for several years, yields 35.4 million results. A search of swine flu, which has been around for days, yields 103 million results. Why is this?
One of the reasons may be because of the increased use of social media in reporting and global communications. Many have heralded the role that social media has played in the spread of information throughout the swine flu outbreak as significant. Some would argue that social media has helped to fuel the fire, along with the constant coverage on the news. A writer on CNET has claimed that "for better or for worse, social media is likely to be one of the primary mediums through which information spreads in a crisis moving forward."
However, being the pessimist that I am, I can’t help but think there is a more sobering aspect to the differing press coverage. It is important to note that because of the internet and new methods of communication, we now inhabit a ‘global village’. Nevertheless, like any village, inequalities still exist. The West no doubt inhabits the top of this cultural hierarchy. With this in mind, it is interesting to note the difference between the countries that have been affected by the three outbreaks. Swine flu has reached countries such as New Zealand, the US and Germany whereas bird flu has reached countries like Egypt, Iraq, and Pakistan and SARS; Singapore, China, and Vietnam. Does geography play such a massive role in our global village that volume of press coverage is directly linked to it?
This leaves me wondering; are American, New Zealand and German lives more newsworthy than those in Egypt, Pakistan or China? Or can I sleep easy at night believing that the volume and type of coverage is purely a consequence of our modern obsession with twittering and blogging?
WOW! New test for Swine Flu unveiled! 100% accurate!
http://pastexpiry.blogspot.com/2009/10/cartoon-swine-flu-test.html
Posted by: pastexpiry | October 29, 2009 at 12:12 AM