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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


Power FM blasted for ‘insensitive’ coronavirus reporting

The station has been in hot water all morning for what many on social media deem ‘racially insensitive' and 'privileged' reporting. 


As panic around the coronavirus outbreak mounts and South Africans adopt new ways of living in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, various publications have been at the frontline trying to document what this looks like.

The news arm of local radio station Power FM has, however, landed in hot water all morning for what many on social media deem “racially insensitive” and “privileged” reporting.

While the account has been reporting from various locations around the province all morning, the offending tweet is one that painted commuters at the Bree Street Taxi Rank as “indifferent about taking precautionary measures”.

“It’s business as usual at the Bree Taxi Rank, where a litany of commuters flock daily. People seem to be indifferent about taking precautionary measures against #Coronavirussouthafrica,” tweeted @Power987News.

Various users immediately questioned the station’s framing in a number of tweets.

power fm tweets

power fm tweets

https://twitter.com/miss_anathea/status/1239835491903705088?s=20

When asked for comment in response to the backlash, a Power FM employee/representative simply referred The Citizen back to their online report titled “Coronavirus: taxi operators, commuters worried but say they have no choice“.

The report was compiled after Power News reporter Robinson Nqola went to the Bree Taxi Rank in Johannesburg to speak to commuters and taxi operators who said that although they were deeply worried about getting infected by the coronavirus, it would be far too economically risky for them to stay at home and avoid social interaction.

Many of them who are breadwinners say if they had an option to work from home they would, but their working environments require them to be physically present at work.

READ NEXT: Workers need permission to be absent from work

(Compiled by Kaunda Selisho)

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