Watch: The worst of Fox’s pandemic coverage
Written by Miles Le
Research contributions from John Kerr
Published
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fox News’ coverage has been recklessly dominated by misinformation.
As the total number of deaths reported continues to rise, Fox’s pandemic coverage has callously downplayed both the severity of the crisis as well as the risk posed by the devastating long-term side effects. Beyond actively undermining and casting aspersions on prevention measures such as wearing masks, Fox has also openly stoked calls for civil disobedience and protests against public health protocols -- including the championing of business that ignored basic rules.
Before the development of a vaccine, Fox elevated dubious and potentially harmful treatments for COVID-19 as well as giving a consistent platform to a number of guests with no scientific authority to spread misinformation. Now, as vaccine distribution begins, Fox hosts have already begun to focus on undermining public confidence by broadcasting baseless skepticism, misrepresentations, and outright misinformation about the vaccine’s efficacy to viewers with little regard for the consequences.
All of this coverage was bad enough on its own, but became even worse due to the president’s obsession with Fox News.
Fox’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic has been nothing short of irresponsible and catastrophic.