Twitter donating $1M to journalism nonprofits amid coronavirus crisis

Twitter announced on Tuesday that it was donating $1 million to journalism nonprofits to support reporters during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The social media network wrote in a statement that it would distribute the funds evenly between the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), two organizations “that are working tirelessly to uphold the fundamental values of a free press during this pandemic.”

“Right now, every journalist is a COVID-19 journalist,” wrote Vijaya Gadde, head of Twitter’s legal, policy and trust and safety team in the announcement.

“From the stories of healthcare workers on the frontlines, to analysis of the real human and economic cost of the pandemic, reporters around the world are still writing, still exposing themselves to harm, still giving us the facts. Journalism is core to our service and we have a deep and enduring responsibility to protect that work.”

Both organizations applauded Twitter for the donation in a statement.

“Our efforts at CPJ are focused on ensuring that journalists around the world have the information and resources they need to cover the COVID-19 pandemic safely,” Joel Simon, executive director for CPJ, said. “And we are pushing back against governments that are censoring the news, and restricting the work of the press. We need timely, accurate information flowing within countries and across borders so that political leaders, health policy experts, and the public at large can make informed decisions at this critical moment.”

“We’re grateful that @TwitterForGood recognizes their impact – with their support, we can continue to address the diverse needs of #BadassFemaleJournos in our community as the impact of #COVID19 grows,” IWMF wrote on Twitter.

Journalists have always been essential employees. We’re grateful that @TwitterForGood recognizes their impact – with their support, we can continue to address the diverse needs of #BadassFemaleJournos in our community as the impact of #COVID19 grows. https://t.co/dWfOMdvbh9 pic.twitter.com/hj3Fl5cWDo

— IWMF (@IWMF) March 24, 2020

President Trump’s daily press briefings on the coronavirus have faced backlash from critics who argue that they are spreading misinformation and hindering efforts to combat the pandemic.

Trump has also clashed with reporters, including a heated exchange with NBC’s Peter Alexander.

The Trump White House last week announced an extensive public awareness campaign in partnership with several major media outlets to educate Americans about the virus.