{"id":113332,"date":"2020-05-07T12:23:26","date_gmt":"2020-05-07T10:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=113332"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:24:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:24:55","slug":"higher-education-media-during-corona-agenda-driven-journalism-is-basically-out-of-the-window","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/05\/07\/higher-education-media-during-corona-agenda-driven-journalism-is-basically-out-of-the-window\/","title":{"rendered":"Higher education media during corona: ‘Agenda-driven journalism is basically out of the window’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Media at the Dutch universities are pulling out all the stops to stay on top of new developments in the coronavirus crisis. It isn\u2019t always easy to keep the public informed, connect people and ask critical questions during social distancing, say the editors-in-chief.<\/p>\n

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After New Year\u2019s, the Dutch media gradually started writing more and more about a new pulmonary virus that originated in China. Universities of applied sciences and research universities kept their finger on the pulse and sought out students who were studying in China or who had just returned from this country.<\/p>\n

But Covid-19 started to spread like wildfire, and after a major outbreak in Northern Italy it didn\u2019t take long before the disease hit the Netherlands. More and more infections were reported, and in mid-March, all higher education institutions decided to close their doors.<\/p>\n

Momentum<\/h2>

The outbreak gave huge momentum to the higher education news outlets. There were all sorts of urgent questions that needed to be answered: online education \u2013 how do you arrange that? What would happen to the BSA? How would students sit their exams? Would research be suspended? Would exchange students be returning home?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first three, four weeks were quite exhausting and frantic,\u201d says Maaike Platvoet of U-Today<\/em> (University of Twente). \u201cWe had to make all sorts of new arrangements, of course. Which system will we be using for conferences? What are the rules? From a journalist\u2019s standpoint, this was an incredibly interesting period. We had all sorts of subjects to write about and were bubbling with ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Live blogs<\/h2>

The editors throw themselves on the virus news from their home offices. They launch live blogs<\/a>, produce video series<\/a> and think up new lockdown feature segments<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe aren\u2019t producing a paper magazine anymore, because there\u2019s no way to distribute it,\u201d says Marieke Schilp of Ad Valvas<\/em> (VU University Amsterdam). \u201cAnd a week ago, we also decided to stop publishing our online magazine. We\u2019re focussing our full attention on our website, and we\u2019re working hard to put out a newsletter as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

The editors\u2019 hard work yields some interesting coverage. For example, Leiden University\u2019s Mare<\/em> was quick to scrutinise<\/a> \u2018online proctoring\u2019; Punt<\/em> (Avans University of Applied Sciences) interviewed a student who contracted the coronavirus but nevertheless managed to graduate<\/a> with a 9\/10; DUB<\/em> (Utrecht University) wrote about the repatriation<\/a> of students stuck in Guatemala; Trajectum<\/em> interviewed<\/a> the signer and brand-new Dutch celebrity Irma Sluis, a former student of HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht; and an article<\/a> published by the Rotterdam-based Erasmus Magazine<\/em> about the discovery of an antibody for the virus was referenced by virtually every Dutch media outlet and a host of international channels.<\/p>\n

Tired of corona<\/h2>

Various editors-in-chief estimate that at least 80 percent of their coverage relates to the coronavirus crisis. But with most outlets, this share is even higher \u2013 over 90 percent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had a few discussions about it within the team too,\u201d says Ries Agterberg of DUB. \u201cAren\u2019t people getting tired of corona? But it continues to be the number one issue right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

And multiple editorial teams confirm that this can also be seen in the significant increase in page views and visitor numbers. \u201cMarch was our best month ever in terms of visitors,\u201d says Annemarie Haverkamp of Vox<\/em> (Radboud University). And Rob Siebelink of UKrant<\/em> (University of Groningen) also reports that the most recent period saw \u2018all records broken\u2019. Erasmus Magazine\u2019s antibody article drew over 400,000 unique visitors to its website.<\/p>\n

And they get more than just clicks. Most editorial teams also receive more reactions and submissions from students and lecturers, be it via email or social media. Readers also compliment the editors on a job well done.<\/p>\n

Connect<\/h2>

And it\u2019s important work besides, according to the editors-in-chief, because during a crisis like this, independent media play a more important role than ever for research universities and universities of applied sciences. \u201cAgenda-driven journalism is basically out of the window,\u201d says Mare\u2019s Frank Provoost. \u201cThe university is forced to completely reinvent itself and we have a front-row seat.\u201d<\/p>\n

The magazines don\u2019t just serve as an important source of news. With university campuses virtually deserted, their social function is more important than ever, says Willem Andr\u00e9e of Resource<\/em> (Wageningen University). \u201cWe connect our readers with each other and with the university. Now more than ever, our magazine is a great way to stay up to date and find out how other people are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Transparency<\/h2>\n\t
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\n\t\t\u2018When you phone spokespeople, they fall over themselves to help you\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

It is also important to maintain a critical perspective and keep asking difficult questions. Close contacts with the institution\u2019s board are crucially important in this context. Most editorial teams have nothing to complain about. They are kept up to date on new developments, regularly have the opportunity to interview senior administrators and are able to attend the online meetings of their universities\u2019 representative bodies.<\/p>\n

But the crisis doesn\u2019t necessarily make things easier. \u201cYou don\u2019t know what to expect in terms of what lands in your inbox,\u201d says Marc Janssen of Trajectum. \u201cThat can be annoying. In some cases, we may have picked up on that information and published it earlier on. And some HU staff members may find it annoying too. Oh well. On the other hand: when you phone spokespeople, they fall over themselves to help you. These are truly interesting times.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the University of Groningen, it was a \u2018sorry state of affairs\u2019 during the first few weeks, says UKrant\u2019s Rob Siebelink. \u201cUntil I had a very heated argument with the Chair of the University Council about openness and transparency. Since then, we meet with the entire university board every week for an online interview.\u201d<\/p>\n

Water cooler<\/h2>\n\t
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\n\t\t\u2018We miss our school, the students, the coffee machine and the creative process at our office, which has proven difficult to recreate in a video conference\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Working from home suits some editorial teams more than others. \u201cWe miss our school, the students, the coffee machine and the creative process at our office, which has proven difficult to recreate in a video conference,\u201d says Tosca Sel of Profielen (Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences). \u201cBut we\u2019re making do.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no shortage of virus-related news, but you miss what you\u2019d usually hear around the water cooler, says Punt\u2019s Arold Roestenburg. \u201cThe kind of news you can pick up by simply walking through the buildings and approaching people. We no longer have these informal contacts with students and staff members \u2013 contacts that ultimately spawn a lot of articles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Concerns<\/h2>

Working from home is particularly demanding for many editors with children. \u201cFive of our colleagues have school-age children and try to free up time for them too,\u201d says Han Konings of Cursor<\/em> (Eindhoven University of Technology). \u201cThis doesn\u2019t always run smoothly, and particularly in the first few weeks, everyone was basically \u2018on\u2019 24\/7. We\u2019re producing more than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

And many contributors have other concerns to deal with besides: friends and family members who are sick or seriously ill, aging parents. Some editors know people who have died from the virus, or are showing symptoms themselves.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, there are always new developments, and the pressure remains very high. In some editorial teams, the boundary between work and home life is becoming increasingly blurred. \u201cThe editorial app never stops updating,\u201d says Ries Agterberg (DUB). When you\u2019re working from home, this makes it more difficult to disconnect from work when you have the day off. We\u2019ve tried to make agreements about this aspect too.\u201d<\/p>\n

At Vox in Nijmegen, they seem to have found an effective solution. \u201cWe set up a new app group every day, which only includes those colleagues who are working at that time,\u201d says Annemarie Haverkamp.<\/p>\n

Urgency<\/h2>\n\t
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\n\t\t\u2018Zelfs als je veel belang hecht aan de bescherming van gegevens, dan nog is het vrijwel ondoenlijk om daar nu aan vast te houden\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Normally speaking, the editorial board of Observant<\/em> (Maastricht University) would take a break over the May Holidays. This year, the editors decided to spread their holidays, to avoid the website from going on hold for two weeks. \u201cWe need to keep reporting the news, to keep our readers up to date,\u201d says Riki Janssen. \u201cA lot of matters have gained a new urgency due to the outbreak. Although we will be taking time off, because I have noticed we need it. People are starting to get tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

And there are also concerns about privacy. Like many students and lecturers, Saskia Bonger of Delta<\/em> (Delft University of Technology) believes that there should be more secure online tools. \u201cWhat you often see \u2013 and we\u2019re no exception \u2013 is that convenience wins out and that we complacently opt for something like Zoom \u2013 even though we know that means our data will be traded. Even if protecting data is very important to you, it has become more or less impossible to stand your ground on this issue right now. After all, we need to go ahead with our meetings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spirit<\/h2>\n\t

How long the coronavirus crisis will be going on is anyone\u2019s guess. At any rate, visitor numbers seem to be stabilising of late, according to the editors-in-chief. Nevertheless, it\u2019s still busier than usual.<\/p>\n

So the teams need to keep their shoulders to the wheel, but in many cases, this also leads to interesting ideas. \u201cSince the start of the crisis, we\u2019ve been broadcasting a TV magazine<\/a> three times a week,\u201d says Arjan Paans of Erasmus Magazine. \u201cIt was a long-held wish of our editors to be even more cross-media in our approach. We were originally thinking of a monthly TV broadcast. But the coronavirus crisis has worked like a pressure cooker for these plans. We hope to keep this spirit alive when we\u2019ve left the crisis behind us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where from here?<\/h2>

It appears as if the coronavirus will stay with us for some time to come. Still, it\u2019s important to already start looking ahead, says Ries Agterberg, president of the Circle of Editors-in-Chief of university and university of applied sciences magazines. \u201cRight now, the big question is: how can editorial boards transition from the current total focus on the coronavirus crisis to stories about a new reality? This is a gradual process. Little by little, you can already see articles being published about other matters \u2013 even though the outbreak seems to add a different dimension to everything that\u2019s discussed.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Agterberg, it will be interesting to see how research universities and universities of applied sciences will be developing in the years ahead. \u201cAnd particularly: which lessons can they draw from what happened during the crisis? Take digital education, for example: we\u2019ve seen huge advances in this area. Will everything go back to the way it was, or will institutions be holding on to certain innovations?\u201d<\/p>\n

And in the period ahead, it remains important that the different media outlets in the Dutch higher education sector continue to share their experiences, says Agterberg. \u201cThe editors-in-chief are quick to seek each other out via the Circle, with questions like \u2018this is what we\u2019ve run into, how do you guys handle that,\u2019 etc. This way, we can help each other and it\u2019s a source of new ideas for our different publications.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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