Story at a glance
- A wave of coronavirus cases brought on by the highly transmissible delta variant has highlighted vaccination gaps across the U.S.
- Research shows that viewers of Fox News report being more hesitant towards vaccines than viewers of other broadcast news.
- In an opinion editorial for NBC News, one emergency room physician points the finger at misinformation.
As COVID-19 cases rise among the unvaccinated population in the United States, one frontline worker is blaming Fox News and other conservative media outlets for the increasing hospitalizations and deaths.
“What’s truly tragic is that the disinformation my patients and their families hear from their favorite commentators and pundits is dangerously, life-threateningly wrong. They should listen to their family doctors for medical advice, not Sean Hannity — whom researchers have connected to higher infection rates — or Tucker Carlson, who suggested with zero evidence that Covid-19 vaccines don’t work,” said Rob Davidson, an emergency room physician in Michigan, in an opinion editorial for NBC News.
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According to one recent survey, one-fifth of adult Americans believe it is “very true” or “probably true” that COVID-19 vaccinations contain government-issued microchips — a false allegation that is more popular among conservatives as well as Americans without a college education. Meanwhile, a wave of coronavirus cases brought on by the highly transmissible delta variant has highlighted vaccination gaps across the U.S., with new cases surging in several states with lower vaccination rates than the general population.
Of course, programming on Fox News, owned and founded by Australian-American media mogul Rupert Murdoch, is not a monolith. Popular pundits whose shows air during prime time offer more subjective “analysis” compared to midday news programming. A FOX News spokesperson pointed to several of the network’s anchors and personalities who have promoted the vaccine as well as a recent public service announcement and the channel’s vaccine finder tool, which helps people find vaccination spots closest to them.
Top public health officials have also made appearances on the channel in attempts to curb misinformation, much of which is ultimately credited to social media platforms.
“The reality is that misinformation is still spreading like wildfire in our country aided and abetted by technology platforms,” U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said on Fox News.
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Still, research on vaccine hesitancy found that viewers of Fox News did report being more hesitant than viewers of other broadcast news. At the same time, researchers said “it is possible that individuals gravitate toward the cable news networks that present a view on the pandemic that is aligned with their own opinions.”
The groups that make up the larger anti-vaxxer movement in the United States were organizing even before a vaccine was developed, growing their social media audience and online reach. Their efforts appear to be succeeding and Davidson said he and other medical professionals are struggling to break through.
“I don’t blame my patients for their refusal. What breaks my heart, as someone who took an oath to prevent harm, is that my patients choose to abandon the science and evidence that can save their lives. I do blame Fox News and other right-wing media outlets for poisoning the minds of millions of Americans with the deceptive propaganda they spray into living rooms 24/7,” he said.
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