{"id":9084,"date":"2020-05-12T13:41:39","date_gmt":"2020-05-12T17:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/company\/stories\/reporting-the-news-in-unprecedented-times\/"},"modified":"2024-08-08T13:27:30","modified_gmt":"2024-08-08T17:27:30","slug":"reporting-the-news-in-unprecedented-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/company\/stories\/reporting-the-news-in-unprecedented-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Reporting the news in unprecedented times"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \"Romaine\"Romaine\n
Bloomberg Television Anchor Romaine Bostick, working from home<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n
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In this time of uncertainty, the way we see the world has changed drastically \u2013 as have our news coverage and journalistic perspective. Bloomberg News employees are no strangers to times of upheaval, having covered events ranging from the Arab Spring to the Financial Crisis of 2008, but working in the midst of a pandemic has certainly created some unique challenges.<\/p>\n

During a recent internal conversation introduced by Senior Executive Editor Laura Zelenko, a number of Bloomberg News reporters spoke candidly with Senior Healthcare Reporter Cynthia Koons about how journalists are coping with isolation and stress of living through a pandemic, big changes in working routines, and how they\u2019re breaking stories in an unprecedented environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve covered crises and extreme situations in the past, but this one is very different. In my case, I\u2019m not on the front lines, as far as being in a hospital or similar environment, but the stress is still there and the same rules apply as for covering any other crisis. I\u2019d recommend that people be extra mindful of sources right now. We\u2019re business journalists, used to talking to CEOs and people who speak with the media all the time, but, in a crisis, that can change. You may be speaking with someone who\u2019s never talked to a journalist before and is currently dealing with something traumatic. We all need to keep that in mind, treating sources as humanely as possible.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Laura Millan, Madrid<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though I was reporting from Beijing and not physically in Wuhan, I was able to speak with a contact and report on the first doctor to die of the disease, which was particularly important because of all the rumors and misinformation circling in local and international media about it. That actually really helped my mindset, knowing that, even if I wasn\u2019t in the city, I could still do something to help bring visibility and truth to the situation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Penny Peng, Beijing<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we talk to people every day, whether it\u2019s market strategists or economists, so many of them are flying blind as well. A lot of the models that the financial world relies on are pretty useless in this kind of pandemic. The economic issues are much more tied to the health crisis: elements like testing and vaccines. A lot of it is guesswork, despite the fact that these are intelligent and educated guesses.<\/em><\/p>\n

During the crisis in 2008, it was a lot easier to read the tea leaves. It\u2019s much more challenging now. So, when we talk to people, we try to look at this long term, build the narrative, and gauge what an eventual recovery might look like.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Romaine Bostick, New York<\/p>\n

\u201cLiving in Queens, which has been the hardest hit borough within New York City, has been a little surreal. I\u2019ve found that throwing myself into work has been very helpful, but with two small children, that can be a challenge. I think all parents in this scenario need to give themselves a little grace: you\u2019re doing your best in a difficult time. Try to have structure, but look to achieve balance, too. It\u2019s not going to be perfect. You have to be flexible.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Claire Obusan, New York<\/p>\n

\u201cThings have been very uncertain in Hong Kong for quite a while, starting with the protests and now the virus. There are two ways I\u2019ve been coping with the prolonged uncertainty. The first is personal: creating a sort of \u201csanity schedule\u201d for myself, being sure I could take walks outside and get fresh air every day. The second is staying in touch with community. That could be setting up weekly calls with family and friends who are dealing with the same thing, so you can all process it together. It\u2019s also been important for me to use the money I would have spent traveling and donate to food banks and other charities that need help right now.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Kristine Servando, Hong Kong<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, this is an unprecedented situation, and I\u2019m hopeful that we will come back stronger and as soon as possible. In the meantime, I\u2019m doing my best to remain focused and keep my mind clear. I\u2019m a reporter \u2013 I need to focus on my work, report what I see, write good stories. On the personal side, I need to keep my family safe and be here for them, staying positive.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Daniele Lepido, Milan<\/p>\n

Key takeaways<\/strong><\/p>\n