CHANNEL 4 News viewers have described feeling “disappointed” after the programme failed to make clear key differences between the UK nations in reports on the Covid-19 pandemic.
During last night’s broadcast reporters referred to climbing Covid-19 case numbers and guidelines on returning to work that applied to England only – but did not make this clear.
Near the beginning of the episode journalist Matt Frei said: “Across the UK there’s been the highest single day increase in new coronavirus cases since June.”
However, this statement was not true for Wales or Scotland. While England recorded 938 Covid-19 cases yesterday, the highest since June, Scotland and Wales recorded 18 and 24 respectively.
In both nations this was fewer than the number of infections recorded on the previous day.
Later in the programme, Fatima Manji told viewers that “the Government” had changed its guidance on home working – but failed to state that this was an England-only decision.
She told viewers: “From today firms can ask their staff to go back to the office after the Government changed its advice on working from home.”
Later in the same report, global trade correspondent Paul McNamara states that the “official advice is now return to your office if you can” – again failing to state this advice only applies to England.
In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has told non-essential office workers they can expect to continue working from home for some time longer. Offices and call centres will stay shuttered “until we judge it is safe to make this significant change for Scotland”, she said recently.
Disappointed that tonights @Channel4News consistently talked about CV incidences going up in the UK. Incidence in Scotland was down today from yesterday. Similarly, spoke about rules that applied to England being for the nation. Clarity for all parts of the UK is key.
— Lesley Stark (@lesleys20) August 3, 2020
Online, molecular biologist at Edinburgh University Lesley Stark picked up on Channel 4’s failure to make these key differences clear.
“Disappointed that tonights @Channel4News consistently talked about CV incidences going up in the UK,” she tweeted.
“Incidence in Scotland was down today from yesterday. Similarly, spoke about rules that applied to England being for the nation. Clarity for all parts of the UK is key.”
Others replied to Stark to say they had written to the broadcaster seeking clarification.
An SNP spokesperson said it "absolutely vital" that news outlets "accurately report the various regional variations in Covid restrictions".
They went on: "National broadcasters have a duty of care to their viewers and to the wider public to ensure bulletins reflect the prevailing restrictions across the UK.
"In what can be a rapidly changing situation it is the responsibility of broadcast journalists to remain vigilant and continue to update viewers of those variations.
"As we continue efforts to suppress this pandemic it is no exaggeration to say accurate reporting could be the difference between life and death."
A spokeswoman for Channel 4 News told The National: "On the first point on the increase in Covid 19 cases we said as you point out 'across the UK there’s been the highest single day increase in new coronavirus cases since June'. That is correct because Scotland is still part of the UK.
"We do often point out that Scottish numbers are different/lower but in terms of space on the programme sometimes we have to sub it down to one overall UK figure."
On the matter of working guidelines, she went on: "That should have been made clear to the viewer it was England only.
"We are reminding correspondents editors and presenters the importance of stating the difference between the nations of the UK."
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