MRCG UNDERTAKES QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE STUDIES TO MAP INFORMATION POLLUTION IN SIERRA LEONE
The Media Reform Coordinating Group in other to have an in-depth understanding of the country’s information landscape with specific reference to information pollution in November 2020 undertook qualitative and quantitative studies to map major sources, messages, channels, influencers and amplifiers of misinformation, disinformation and misconceptions on COVID-19 in Sierra Leone and possible ways to handle the issues of fake news across the six regions of Sierra Leone.
Prior to the announcement of the index case of COVID-19 in the country, the information environment (IE) was already infested with lots of information pollutions occasioned by fake news, mis-and disinformation. False information on COVID-19 led to the death of an individual even before the first person died of COVID-19. However, the approach to addressing the issue has mostly focused on training and public education as there has been little or no move towards understanding the local information landscape and contextualizing the issue of information pollution (or ‘infodemic’) with a view to learning and adopting best practices, including mapping the information landscape for a thorough knowledge of how things operate. The MRCG sees this study as an opportunity to study the information environment and map information pollution in the country.
In understanding the information environment and studying information pollution across the country, the MRCG through a consultant conducted a baseline survey (quantitative study) to map major sources, messages, channels, influencers and amplifiers of misinformation, disinformation and misconceptions on COVID-19 in Sierra Leone. The baseline survey looked at respondents’ characteristics, sources of information, awareness of Misinformation/fake news, vulnerability to misinformation/fake news, and sources of misinformation/fake news, misinformation channels, and measures to tackle misinformation among others.
The qualitative study, by another consultant, used a desk review approach to understand media penetration and trusted public information sources across the country. It defined the Information Environment of Sierra Leone, and that of media penetration by specifically looking at traditional media institutions and the new media.
The qualitative study also used Focus Group Discussions and key informant interviews with stakeholders (including youth) across the country to identify cases/impact of information pollution. With support from UNDP, the focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) identified and unearthed the nature and impact of information pollution, mapped major sources, channels, influencers, and amplifiers of fake news in the fight against COVID-19, identified demographic and geographic hotspots of information pollution, groups frequently targeted with mis-/disinformation and possible ways how fake news and mis-/disinformation can be addressed. Thirty-six focus group discussions were held in the six regions of Sierra Leone in full compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures. They FDGs groups comprised: the Aged, Women, Youth, Pupils and students, civil society organisations and media and General (all walks of life/various sectors of society).
Also, the MRCG recruited media monitors who conducted media monitoring and online listening to ensure coherence of lines of enquiry. The six media monitors in Freetown monitored COVID-19 contents on radio, television stations and online media platforms. There were also four regional monitors who monitored contents of Covid 19 in their respective regions. Their findings were to be included in the final report.