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Article
Containing a Corona Misinfodemic and Covidiocy: Political Talk Shows on German Public-Service TV
Journalism Practice
  • Jana Fedtke, American University of Sharjah
  • Mohammed Ibahrine, American University of Sharjah
  • Bouziane Zaid, University of Sharjah
  • Don Donghee Shin, Zayed University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2021
Abstract

Misinformation surrounding the pandemic has spread rapidly in this age of digital virality. We argue that the factual and science-based discussion of the “corona crisis” on Anne Will and Maybrit Illner, two political talk shows on German public-service television, has contributed to containing both a potential misinfodemic and the virus itself. We use thematic analysis to interpret the data from ten shows in March at the height of the coronavirus pandemic in Germany. In our study, we examine the extent to which the talk shows rely on the expertise of scientists, particularly virologists, as they refer questions to the experts and discuss the coronavirus pandemic among the participants in an effort to debunk myths and to fight fake news.

Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Disciplines
Keywords
  • Coronavirus pandemic,
  • covid-19,
  • disinformation,
  • German public-service television,
  • misinfodemic,
  • science-based information
Scopus ID
85119881314
Indexed in Scopus
Yes
Open Access
No
https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2021.2004201
Citation Information
Jana Fedtke, Mohammed Ibahrine, Bouziane Zaid and Don Donghee Shin. "Containing a Corona Misinfodemic and Covidiocy: Political Talk Shows on German Public-Service TV" Journalism Practice (2021) ISSN: <a href="https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/issn/1751-2786" target="_blank">1751-2786</a>
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/donghee-shin/34/