Investigating Social Media Role in Crisis Communication Case of Hoatiti News Reporting of the Covid 19 Pandemic in Lesotho

Social media has the capacity to inform, educate, entertain and confuse citizens simultaneously because of its deep imbeddedness within communities. This is because social media is readily available to most community members and news production is done surpassing and bypassing filters that humper and debilitate quick production and dissemination of news by mainstream media such as the traditional gate keeping parameters like political correctness and editorial policies. However, social media is regarded with scepticism in some quarters of the news production industry due to its disregard for ethical practice as well as disrespect for sensibilities related to tradition and culture that separate humans from the larger and general animal world. This study therefore sought to investigate the virtues of social media that have elevated the speed and limitless opportunities for Covd 19 news sharing in Lesotho with specific reference to Hoatiti news outlet. The study interviewed news consumers, practising journalists, journalism students and lecturers to establish their views on Hoatiti news coverage of the Covid 19 pandemic. The findings were presented and analysed thematically. Tawanda Mukurunge | Tawanda Wallace Mataka | Takura Bhila "Investigating Social Media Role in Crisis Communication: Case of Hoatiti News Reporting of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Lesotho" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-5 | Issue-5 , August 2021, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd46315.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/journalism/46315/investigating-social-media-role-in-crisis-communication-case-of-hoatiti-news-reporting-of-the-covid19-pandemic-in-lesotho/tawanda-mukurunge