What are the problems we solve? Spoke with @hannah_suppa about what the coronavirus crisis tells
us about the value of journalism for @BdzvPresse #bebeta2020. Few slides and links in thread. 1/8 https://www.bdzv-bebeta.de/#programm-2020 

Here is how the American journalist, commentator, and writer Walter Lippmann described one of the key things journalism can do for people - make the invisible world visible, help them understand the forces influencing their lives 2/8

Looking at our @risj_oxford on the early stages of the #COVID19 crisis (April), most people across the six countries we surveyed relied on news for information about the disease, and many found it helped them understand and respond to the pandemic https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/infodemic-how-people-six-countries-access-and-rate-news-and-information-about-coronavirus 3/8

We also found news organizations were more widely trusted sources of information about the disease in most countries than politicians, and more trusted than widely used digital platforms, and that people who relied on news knew more about the disease https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/infodemic-how-people-six-countries-access-and-rate-news-and-information-about-coronavirus 4/8

So early on, there was a surge in news use, and a rallying around uncontroversial expertise, including some news media.

Will it last? Our research since in the provide more complicated picture, summarized below, the underlying research here https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/UK-COVID-19-news-and-information-project 5/8

Journalism is incredibly important, and in crisis, more of the public recognize this. But development in UK is a reminder of how fundamental underlying public connection both our editorial missions and our businesses relies on is fraying. Many don't find us worth their while 6/8

Our research suggests people want credible information, want to understand world around them, and want to make sure powerful interests are monitored and held to account. But dont always see actually existing journalism as delivering. Are we making the invisible world visible? 7/8

This is crisis+opportunity. If the public connection evaporates completely, it is game over both editorially and commercially. But there is also a real opportunity to demonstrate to people value of what we do, and on that basis convince them to pay attention (and perhaps pay) 8/8