ANALYZING IDENTIFIED CASES OF COVID-19 DISINFORMATION IN INDIAN MAINSTREAM MEDIA

Media is an essential tool for disseminating information to the masses and educating them while maintaining professional ethics and piety. The responsibility of providing accurate information and preventing the spread of disinformation or erroneous coverage rests with mainstream media. During a natural disaster or pandemic like COVID-19, media reporting becomes even more critical as people require up-to-date information on government policies and guidelines. Media plays a vital role in uniting people during times of crisis to help them fight against a catastrophe effectively. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, several cases have been observed in India where the media failed to fulfil its responsibilities, leading to criticism for inaccurate information and spreading hoaxes. The purpose of the study is to look at the selected cases of fake news in mainstream media during the first four months of COVID-19 in India and the societal consequences around it. The research methodology includes a qualitative approach. The selected cases were studied to look deeper into media coverage during the pandemic. Personal interviews with media professionals were conducted to further unfold the underpinnings. The findings are helpful for stakeholders to understand the importance of responsible journalism during times of crisis and recommendations would certainly help us fight the menace of fake news.