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Vaccination

Fox News' Mixed Messaging on Vaccines Exposed as Battle Between Stars and Network Plays Out On-Screen

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Adam Gabbatt reports on the conflicting views on vaccination at Fox News, where some stars have questioned the safety and efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine, despite the network launching a public service announcement urging people to get vaccinated. The mixed messaging has raised concerns about the potential impact on public health, particularly as the more contagious Delta variant of Covid-19 spreads rapidly in areas where unvaccinated people are concentrated.

Key Takeaways:

  • Fox News launched a public service announcement urging people to get the Covid-19 vaccine, but the message was undermined by its biggest star, Tucker Carlson, who questioned the idea of a news channel promoting vaccines.
  • Carlson has previously challenged the safety and questioned the effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccine, while other Fox News personalities, such as Laura Ingraham, have also cast doubt on vaccination.
  • In the past week, Fox News personalities made a total of 216 claims undermining or downplaying vaccines in segments about coronavirus immunization, according to Media Matters.
  • Despite the mixed messaging, some Fox News hosts, such as Sean Hannity, have expressed support for vaccines, while others have qualified their statements with caveats, such as instructing viewers to "talk to your doctor" before getting vaccinated.
  • The network has implemented its own version of a vaccine passport among its staff, requiring employees to self-attest their vaccination status and providing the "Fox Clear Pass" for those who are fully vaccinated.
  • A Fox News spokeswoman pointed to examples of some hosts and journalists expressing support for vaccines, but the network's messaging on vaccines remains inconsistent and confusing to viewers.
  • The questioning of vaccines by some Fox News hosts and other rightwing networks is driven by ratings and revenue, according to Carl Cameron, formerly Fox's chief political correspondent.
  • The effects of anti-vaccine rhetoric could be severe, with at least 99% of people in the US who died from coronavirus in the last six months being unvaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Statistics:

  • Since vaccines became commonly available in the US, key opinion hosts on the rightwing news channel have repeatedly cast doubt on vaccination.
  • Fox News personalities made a total of 216 claims undermining or downplaying vaccines in segments about coronavirus immunization in a two-week period from 28 June to 11 July, according to Media Matters.
  • At least 99% of people in the US who died from coronavirus in the last six months were not vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • The median age of a Fox News viewer was 65 years old in 2017, suggesting many of those viewers are in the highest risk category for severe illness from Covid-19.

Sources:

  • Adam Gabbatt, "Fox News' mixed messaging on vaccines exposed as battle between stars and network plays out on-screen", The Guardian, 2021
  • Media Matters, "Fox News has made 216 claims undermining or downplaying vaccines in segments about coronavirus immunization", 2021
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "COVID-19 Vaccines and Vaccination", 2021
  • Carl Cameron, quoted in CNN, "Fox News' vaccine messaging is driven by ratings and revenue", 2021
  • Fox News, "We're in this together': Fox News hosts urge Americans to get the vaccine", 2021

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