During the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of journalists disseminating accurate information to counteract misinformation became more evident. This study, conducted in the province of Azuay, Ecuador, investigated how journalists approached medical-scientific content during the initial wave of the pandemic. For this purpose, 10 journalists were interviewed, and the content of 66 health news stories across print, radio, digital, and audiovisual media was analyzed. The findings indicated that, despite the surge in news coverage, journalists exhibited limitations in source selection and knowledge regarding medical and scientific subjects. The study underscored the reliance on political-governmental sources, a lack of fact-checking, and complications inherent in emergency coverage that restricted access to high-quality information. The conclusions emphasize the necessity of training journal...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of journalists disseminating accurate information to counteract misinformation became more evident. This study, conducted in the province of Azuay, Ecuador, investigated how journalists approached medical-scientific content during the initial wave of the pandemic. For this purpose, 10 journalists were interviewed, and the content of 66 health news stories across print, radio, digital, and audiovisual media was analyzed. The findings indicated that, despite the surge in news coverage, journalists exhibited limitations in source selection and knowledge regarding medical and scientific subjects. The study underscored the reliance on political-governmental sources, a lack of fact-checking, and complications inherent in emergency coverage that restricted access to high-quality information. The conclusions emphasize the necessity of training journal...