The role of the mediaCoverage of COVID-19We commissioned an independent sentiment analysis to ascertain whether the media’savailability of fact-based, reliable government information had positively influenced the nature ofAustralian coverage about COVID-19.The analysis in Figure 4.0 shows nearly three quarters of all content taking a neutral stance. Theavailability of accurate, reliable and neutral information from reliable government sources may beinfluencing the style of coverage. Our analysis commissioned from Meltwater shows key wordsused in COVID-19 related content are not emotive, and include neutral terms such as ‘covid’,‘cases, ‘home’, ‘virus’ and, perhaps reflecting the localised nature of coverage, ‘Australia’.Figure 4.0 Sentiment AnalysisJan-May 2020Positive8%Negative19%Neutral73%Source: Meltwater analysis commissioned by Suicide Prevention AustraliaThe analysis also shows coverage was more extensive in jurisdictions with higher COVID-19caseloads. As depicted in Figure 5.0, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria have seengreater coverage of the COVID-19 crisis through their media channels. This points to a greaterdemand for information about COVID-19 in states where consumers were more likely to beaffected.Source: Meltwater analysis commissioned by Suicide Prevention AustraliaReducing distress in the community following the COVID-19 pandemicJune 202027
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