Earlier today, we told you about Newsweek touting a “study” showing that Sean Hannity’s viewers are more likely to die from COVID19 than Tucker Carlson’s.
Coronavirus deaths greater among Fox News viewers that prefer Hannity over Tucker Carlson, study says https://t.co/xXGLPt2Wvb
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) April 22, 2020
If you thought that was bad, wait’ll you get a load of Vox’s take:
A new study suggests Sean Hannity helped spread the coronavirus https://t.co/yWbF7cPLjN
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 22, 2020
And check out the subhed:
“Sophisticated new research.”
Zack Beauchamp — Mr. Gaza Bridge Guy himself — writes:
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, media critics have warned that the decision from leading Fox News hosts to downplay the outbreak could cost lives. A new study provides statistical evidence that, in the case of Sean Hannity, that’s exactly what happened.
Pause for bolded new section introduction:
And in conclusion:
It seems that people really do see media as a guide to some of their most intimate life choices. Given how much a certain segment of older, white, conservative Americans trust Fox, it seems very plausible that they took cues from their favorite anchors on how to handle the coronavirus outbreak.
For some Americans, that choice may well have been a fatal one.
No word from Zack on the effects of Vox repeatedly downplaying the gravity of the COVID19 crisis. Guess nobody thought to do sophisticated new research on that.
This is a working paper; it hasn’t been peer reviewed or accepted for publication at a journal. However, it’s consistent with a wide body of research finding that media consumption in general, and Fox News viewership in particular, can have a pretty powerful effect on individual behavior.
This sophisticated new research hasn’t been peer-reviewed or published by a reputable journal, but it’s still sophisticated and valid because hey, it makes Fox News look bad. And that’s really the only important message here.
This is an obviously flawed study. Highlighting it is irresponsible. https://t.co/gVsKfrGq3T
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) April 22, 2020
Ben, if you want to debate research methodology, I'm more than happy to do that. Also available to discuss the dangers of coronavirus misinformation in conservative media. https://t.co/lnBMnvTUvM
— Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp) April 22, 2020
Cool, let's do it on a bridge.
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) April 22, 2020
Ouch.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional text and tweets.
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