Press Gazette reader poll shows 51 per cent don’t think coronavirus poses serious threat to news industry

A small majority of Press Gazette readers do not consider the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak to pose a serious threat to the news industry.

Over the past week, 450 people responded to the question: “How serious a threat does the coronavirus outbreak pose to the news industry?”

Some 162 voters (36 per cent) said it posed only a minor threat, while 69 voters (15 per cent) say it is no threat at all – a combined total of 231 votes (51 per cent).

But, 118 voters said the virus is a major threat (26 per cent), with 101 voters (22 per cent) saying it is an “extremely serious” threat – a combined total of 219 votes (49 per cent).

The numbers of cases of coronavirus in the UK continue to climb, with more than 1,400 confirmed so far and 35 deaths attributed to the virus.

Newsrooms have responded to the spread of the Covid-19 in different ways.

Some, such as the FT, have told journalists to work from home, while others, such as Mirror, Express and Star publisher Reach, continue to expect staff to come into the office but have stepped up cleaning.

A Times journalist has been diagnosed with Covid-19.

Methodology: This poll was an indicative survey of Press Gazette readers which ran on the site from Tuesday 3 March to Monday 10 March 2020. It used cookie-based tracking to stop readers from voting twice. Press Gazette’s readers are predominantly journalists and others who work in the news industry.

Picture: Reuters/Henry Nicholls