I mean, that seems pretty normal.
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I feel this needs a poll. How do you think the news has covered coronavirus? Too much or too little?
- Yes, an overreaction
- Yes and no. It was an overreaction at first but now is proportionate
- No, the news has largely been fair
- No, the news has largely underplayed this issue
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ACM need someone with actual grammar knowledge to proof-read (bold emphasis added):
ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said events could still go ahead this weekend as authorities were âreally confidentâ there was no community transition of the virus.
âWe have one case of COVID-19 in the ACT and all of the close contacts of that person were tracked down yesterday and either isolating and being tested as required and so we donât have that community transition. And so this weekend, that advice still stands.â
Transmission. 
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I voted for the most popular option.
But my opinion is a bit more complex than that. While Coronavirus is obviously a serious issue that should be reported by the media, some elements of the coverage (eg, the panic buying frenzy of toilet paper and other basic products) has been over the top and if anything, potentially adding a can of petrol to the fire of general hysteria.
Having said that, the cancellation (or closing off to crowds) of sport and other major events is an entirely appropriate measure to take because if something were go ahead and a Coronavirus outbreak happened, weâd no doubt have plenty of âWhy wasnât the event cancelled?â commentary and potential class action cases.
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Agered. Which is why I stuck with ABC news coverage . They just reported the facts, and they didnât create this huge panic like the commerical news has done in hte past month or so. Can only imagine what Sky News were doing to create panic with the likes of Paul Murray and Andrew Bolt.
Seven and Nine (well, pretty much any networkâs main channel) could essentially become 24 hour news channels if the crisis worsens?
Not sure about Fox League/Footy though, they might have to have some old match replays on standby.
Iâll say it again guys - this is a coverage thread, not a thread for the possible impact on upcoming television shows that film in front of a live audience that have yet to enter production.
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Is there another thread for that?
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I donât think thereâs a need - the individual show threads should suffice for now. We can revisit if thatâs not working.
We will likely split this thread out so we have one for coverage and one for the news event itself though (impacts on sporting events and the like)
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Have tidied up this thread a bit. Please donât be offended if your post has/hasnât been moved. This is a fast moving scenario and there will be crossover, but itâs splintering so wildly that we need to change the approach.
As @Bort indicated, this is for news coverage, how it being covered, special bulletins and the like.
The other thread linked by @foxyrover is best for events being cancelled and what not.
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Sandra Sully presenting a special news update across the country with the press conference about the coronavirus.
Seven had a Newflash at around 3:10pm with Michael Usher going live to The Prime Minister speaking in Sydney on the coronavirus response.
EDIT-
Seven stopped showing press conference with PM and leaders at 3:45pm then back to Michael Usher in the news studio crossing to Mark Riley in Canberra and Jim Wilson at the desk with sports cancellations.
Ended at 4pm going to local Afternoon bulletins.
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This is the issue with how the media relay messages. The PM said âadvising against NON ESSENTIAL gathering of more than 500+ people
Then Nine does this:
This is the type of problem that causes hysteria.
EDIT:
Admittedly they did then go back and forth to this now. However thereâs more to non essential then the belowâŚ
I just really believe the media need to be careful in how they word or summarise things.
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Disagree, what kind of gathering of 500+ people is essential. Itâs an obvious inference to make from Nine.