Infodemics of Media During COVID-19: A Study among Educated Residents of Urban Ludhiana (Punjab)

Media becomes an integral part of our life. With the growth and development of technology, it creates revolution in media industry and it grows to television, films, radio, the internet and other new media applications. Media also played a big role in today's scenario in which we all are struggling covid-19. The present paper is focused upon how media effect and created people perception about covid-19. The data was collected online by 150 respondents including both male and female from urban city of Ludhiana. Snowball sampling method was used to make contact with respondents. Study revealed that firsthand information about Covid19 was received via media. Media was used as a source of information as well as entertainment. Less than half i.e. 48.6% of the respondents quoted the panic to purchase grocery as well as medicines was due to news spread by social media. Media also played a positive role to connect family and friends; becomes a source to create a virtual families during pandemic. Along with this, there is a flip side of media that it creates fake news and increased stress among people. The public sphere created by media, should be critically examined. The discourse used by media need to be evaluated thoroughly by society.