Impact of Covid-19 on journalism in Sierra Leone. National survey report 2021.

Abstract

This rapid response report presents findings from a national survey undertaken to ascertain the impact of Covid-19 on Sierra Leone journalists. Sierra Leone was among the nations that took swift action, declaring a 12-month state of national emergency in response to the pandemic. But this came, as an International Growth Centre study 1 shows, at a high economic price. It must also be noted that the pandemic comes at a time when the nation is still grappling with the aftermath of the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak and other, more localised disaster events. As such, Sierra Leone faces additional economic, cultural, and social pressures because of Covid-19. A year into the global pandemic, this report outlines how national and regional journalists, and news organisations in Sierra Leone responded to Covid-19, and identifies their training and capacity-building requirements to strengthen future disaster resilience.