UPDATE - Over Half Of US Media Reports About Russia In Context Of COVID-19 Response Negative- Study

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th July, 2020) More than half (58 percent) of leading US media reports on Russia's response to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are negative and only 4 percent are positive, according to a study conducted by the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, the Rossiya Segodnya press service reported.

In Germany, the figures are 44 percent and 1 percent; in the UK, 38 percent and 1 percent respectively.

Rossiya Segodnya experts analyzed more than 4,000 relevant publications for the period from March 12 to June 14, 2020 in the top five print, online, tv and radio resources of the G7 member countries, as well as China as the source of COVID-19 spread. Relevant (significant) materials were those in which the words "Russia" and "coronavirus" were mentioned more than once.

According to the study results, the largest number of news and analytical materials on the topic that were critical of Russia appeared on the media platforms of the United States (243), Germany (198) and the United Kingdom (168).

The leaders in the number of positive reviews about Russia in the context of the pandemic were media outlets in China (237), Italy (35) and France (21). In the overall block of analyzed materials, 66 percent were neutral, 26 percent negative and 8 percent positive.

"It is noteworthy that a positive assessment of the Russian Federation's response to the pandemic is given mainly in states that closely cooperate with our country in the fight against coronavirus, primarily in China and Italy," the report says.

"The press of the US, whose authorities also exchanged, as the epidemic intensified, batches of lung ventilators and personal protective equipment with Moscow, in general, are in stiff opposition to the current Washington administration, which, obviously, leaves an imprint on its coverage of these supplies and Russian efforts in the context of COVID-19," it says.

Among the negative topics of the Western media stories about Russia's actions during the pandemic, claims of allegedly manipulating statistics on those infected and dead people, accusations of disinformation campaigns abroad and using COVID-19 to tighten domestic policy have dominated.

"American media outlets are especially enthusiastic in this regard. In the midst of an epidemic, mass anti-racist protests and the election campaign in the US, they have actually turned into frenzied propaganda tools," the report says.

The top three positive topics included the successful interaction of Russia with other countries in the fight against coronavirus, the stability of the Russian healthcare system, as well as the creative ingenuity of the media, cultural institutions and ordinary citizens during the period of self-isolation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the new coronavirus a pandemic on March 11.

According to the WHO, the global coronavirus death toll has surpassed 532,000 people, with the number of cases worldwide exceeding 11.3 million.