The impact of Covid-19 on journalism

Covid-19 has halted, for now, how every news organisation around the world normally functions.

If you’re a young journalist, you may feel bewildered about how your world of work has been transformed. If you’re a newsroom leader you may already have put staff on furlough/leave of absence after initially directing them to work from home. Some of these journalists will have come to you with mental health problems or financial concerns.

I am issuing an appeal to journalists of all creeds, backgrounds, geographies and experience levels – working in newsrooms large or small or freelancing – to complete a quick, anonymous survey around stress and what news organisations could look like post-Covid-19.

Thank you,

John Crowley

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* 1. In what way has covering Covid-19 increased your stress? You can select more than one option.

Working from home has impacted on my relationships with people that I live with.

Covering such an intense and depressing subject all day, every day, is depressing and debilitating.

Working from home has impacted on my work productivity.

Having colleagues diagnosed with Covid-19 made me worried about their well-being and that of my own.

Working from home on a global story has given me the opportunity to positively reassess the way I work.

Other (please specify)

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* 2. If you have been put on furlough or made redundant, how did your news organisation communicate this to you? Were you given plenty of notice or little notice? Have they said there will be a job to return to?

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* 3. Now that you are working from home, what can your firm/management practically do to alleviate your stress? You can select more than one answer.

My workstation is not optimised for work (chair, desk, computer, WIFI or something else).

My news organisation needs to communicate better about what they want me to do.

I just want them to inquire after my well-being.

Other (please specify)

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* 4. Do you feel news organisations have a responsibility for helping you set up a working life from home? Select the one which most applies to you.

Yes, during this period they need to think about their staff’s well-being.

It’s not something they need to think about. I am responsible for my own working conditions.

This is a massive change for everyone. I don’t want them butting in too much but they should help somewhat.

Other (please specify)

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* 5. When the lockdown ends in your country, do you feel news organisations will go back to being run the way they were before? Select the one which most applies to you.

Things will go back to being the same. Journalists still need to work in newsrooms and meet contacts. People will buy newspapers again.

Covid-19 has utterly changed the way newsrooms are run. The pandemic will push newsrooms to more remote/distributed methods of working and will hasten the demise of newsprint.

Structures have temporarily been broken but there will be limited but not wholesale changes to the industry.

Other (please specify)

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* 6. If it is proven that news organisations can work in a distributed fashion, will this usher in more flexi-hours? Do you think newsrooms as we know them will become something of the past?

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* 7. How would you like the newsroom to change when you return to the office? More working from home, more use of the tools you've used, new ways to meet and keep in touch with sources? Or something else?

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* 8. Please indicate if you would be happy for me to use your comments in a survey report?

Yes

Yes, but use my comments anonymously

Other (please specify)

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* 9. Please indicate if you would be happy for me to contact you for further information on this survey?

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* 10. If you have replied yes, please leave your contact information here.

Name

Organisation

Country

Email Address