The perception that newspapers are the cause of community spread of COVID is "rubbish" says KG Suresh 

Global consulting firm Ernst & Young (EY) estimated print media to be a Rs 29,570 crore industry in 2019. Out of which magazines account for Rs 1,000 and rest are all daily and periodical newspapers. As an industry, print has been under stress all across the globe and India happened to be one of the very few countries where it continued to grow albeit by a small margin. 2020, has disrupted the industry like never before and at stake are thousands and thousands of jobs.

Recently, while speaking at FICCI Frames (annual media and entertainment industry seminar), Media and Entertainment Committee’s chairman also Country Manager and Vice President Google India, Sanjay Gupta said that the industry directly or indirectly employs five million people and about one million could lose their jobs because of the Coronavirus and lockdown induced disruption. Many print publications have shut numerous editions across the country and it is a bloodbath already. In a country like India where most families have one breadwinner, a job loss can actually ruin an entire family, imagining one million job-loses in M&E alone is catastrophic.

In a situation like this, the intelligentsia is expected to stay in solidarity with the news-fraternity that irrespective of the pay cut continues to collect news, fact-check, publish, and produce them to inform the electorate. However, in Silchar, it is a different scene altogether.

Dr. Ranabir Paul, director of Diamond Diagnostic Center and Joint Secretary of Indian Medical Association – Assam State Branch posted a statement on a social media platform that has spurred controversy. His post read, “Newspapers are cause of Community Spread of Covid. Stop buying newspapers.”

When a man at his position makes an appeal of this sort it is ought to have its repercussions. Immediately, several individuals commented on his post confirming that they have discontinued their subscription – “done.”

Journalist, author and former editor of Dainik Jugashanka, Arijit Aditya questioned the basis of Paul’s post. He asked, “If doctor Paul uploaded the post after conducting a medically approved study which proves that newspapers are the cause of community spread of COVID?”

Our correspondent reached out to one of the most revered voices in the journalism fraternity, former director-general of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication KG Suresh for his comment on the perception that newspapers are the cause of community spread of COVID 19. KG Suresh replied saying, “absolute rubbish.”

He added, “There has been a lot of confusion about newspapers being the carrier of Coronavirus which has been outrightly rejected by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar, and by the newspaper companies themselves.”

Suresh added that newspapers clarified that they are following automated hygiene protocols to ensure there are hardly any manual interventions. At the vendor space too, the newspapers are following standard operating procedures where usage of gloves and sanitizer is a compulsion. The professor asserted that the precautionary measures that one would follow for all other commodities purchased from the market – that is washing hands after usage, only those need to be followed for newspapers too.

“I myself have been reading newspapers ever since the outbreak of COVID and I am safe,” he said assuring that the copy of a newspaper is quite safe.

He opined, “In fact, along with this pandemic, the entire world is also suffering from infodemic that is an overdose of information which are often untrustworthy and unreliable. But with its strong editorial processes including verification, fact-checking, it is the newspapers that provide the most authentic, verified, and balanced information which is so critical during such a pandemic. Therefore it is very important that we read newspapers to be enlightened and aware citizens.”

Not only professor KG Suresh, but other scholars and entrepreneurs have also appealed to the people of India to not believe in such myths. “Let’s not go by rumour mills and fear mongers. The newspaper delivered to your home is safe. And this fact is endorsed by several reputable authorities. WHO, perhaps, the organisation in the best position to comment on the matter, has stated that couriers or packages delivered to homes (and that would include newspapers) carry a very low risk of infection, even if they come from an infected zone!” said Raj Jain, CEO, Bennett Coleman and Company (BCCL) in a statement issued by the organisation.

“People are getting influenced by various myths and rumours circulating in social media about newspapers being carriers of COVID-19,” said M V Shreyams Kumar, joint managing director, Mathrubhumi, a leading newspaper in Kerala.

The fact that people get influenced by misinformation is what makes Dr. Ranabir Paul’s comment on Facebook a very serious issue. There are several daily broadsheets in Silchar and Barak Valley which employ many livelihoods. If people in large numbers follow a doctor’s advice and start unsubscribing to newspapers, it can further hurt the industry.

He has remained silent on why he made a statement of that sort but for now, it can be reiterated that his comment on newspapers being a cause of community spread of COVID 19 is nothing but “rubbish”.