Fox News Coverage Sowed Vaccine Hesitancy, Study Says
A new report shows how the network’s content influenced viewers’ attitudes toward Covid shots
Negative reporting on Covid-19 shots that aired on Fox News was linked to increased vaccine hesitancy, according to a new study that shows how the nation’s No. 1 news network influenced viewers during a pandemic that has killed more than 1.1 million people in the US.
Concerns about the safety of Covid vaccines as measured in reported side effects increased following heightened periods of negativity in Fox News coverage of vaccines, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal Political Communication. Public opinion surveys also showed Fox viewers reported elevated levels of vaccine hesitancy throughout the pandemic compared to regular viewers of other programs.