White House coronavirus briefings: How much is must-see TV?

How does one best convey information during a public health crisis? That’s a question media outlets are grappling with as they cover the president’s daily briefings, which tend to mix valuable information with inaccurate assertions.

Which statement best describes the daily White House briefings in the age of coronavirus?

(A) They are fact-based and analytical; (B) They convey questionable or even false information; (C) They are vital to the public interest; (D) They are opportunities for grandstanding; or (E) All of the above.

The answer is (E). Praise and blame for this daily stew of essential public service and political reality TV sit at the feet of both President Donald Trump and the reporters asking him questions.

The ethics here are profound. Lives are on the line, and everyone involved plays an important role – the president and his team, journalists, and ultimately, the public, which must follow safe practices and figure out fact from fiction.

“Everybody has a responsibility here,” says Kathleen Culver, director of the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

The fact that President Trump is up for reelection, with Election Day just seven months away, only adds to the drama.