New Delhi: About 50 regional newspapers in the UK have, in big bold letters, published identical front pages with the message “When you’re on your own, we are there with you” amid the Coronavirus panic. The UK has one of the highest coronavirus death toll in the world, with 104 deaths and 2,626 confirmed cases in total.
According to Metro News, almost 50 local newspapers like Birmingham Mail, The Scotsman and Huddersfield Examiner, some of whom are rivals, were part of the move. It is a pledge to support the public and provide accurate information during the virus outbreak. Industry bodies the News Media Association, Newsworks and the Society of Editors have also backed the move.
However, major dailies and tabloids like The Guardian, Daily Mail and Birmingham Post were not part of the move. It was difficult to access epapers of The Times, Financial Times, Daily Star and many others to ascertain whether or not they published the message on their front pages.
A banner saying “You have been there for us through the toughest of times. We want you to know that your newspaper will be there for you now” was printed by some newspapers run by publishers including Archant, Reach, JPI Media, Newsquest and Iliffe. Matt Kelly, chief content officer of the Archant group, which owns 134 papers in the UK, said, ‘We’re at our best when communities need us most.’
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Not the first time newspapers have united
On 21 October last year, Australian newspapers blacked out front pages to protest media restrictions and joined hands through a “Right to Know” campaign. It was a response to raids on News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst (where police even went through her underwear drawer) and an unrelated raid on the ABC headquarters after they put out reports that didn’t portray the central government or special forces in the best light.
In August 2018, more than 300 national and local newspapers in the US, including The New York Times and The Globe, also formed a united front by publishing editorials “pushing back against President Donald Trump’s anti-media rhetoric and threats”. Trump hit back at the coordinated message by calling the media “the opposition party”.
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