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Alan Rusbridger: Are journalists making the coronavirus lockdown worse?

Published 14:12 14 May 2020 BST

Oli Dugmore
Alan Rusbridger: Are journalists making the coronavirus lockdown worse?

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What role should journalists play during a crisis?

Almost every newspaper and broadcaster has a political leaning, but in the past few years this reporting, much of it blindly parroting briefs from unknown government sources, has eroded the public's trust in journalism. At a time when the public should be looking to the media to honestly publish information regarding our health as a nation, it is a troubling phenomenon. Alan Rusbridger was editor of The Guardian for 20 years. He chairs the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and also sits on Facebook's independent oversight board. He spoke to JOE about Piers Morgan's renaissance as the voice of reason during the Covid-19 pandemic, the importance of the BBC as an institution both nationally and internationally, the collapse of local journalism which has been expedited by this crisis.

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