Quality deficits in medical and health journalism An explorative collection of cases focusing on Covid-19 and the coronavirus pandemic

By Timo Rieg | The practical meaning of various quality criteria – specifically correct­ness, accuracy, formal completeness, relevance, diversity of opinion and perspectives, proportionality, and correction – is discussed based on examples of reporting from health and medical journalism. The benchmark for this discussion is the service of orientation that the reporting provides. The individual cases presented have deficits, most of which can be prevented through journalistic working routines, without appreciable additional cost or effort. This paper thus hopes to provide inspiration for media practitioners to reflect on their own work and that of others.