Ongoing Media Support for Immunization

The NGO Infocenter, within the project “Information based on facts and transparency for successful Covid-19 immunization”, monitors the media coverage of the vaccination process. The monitoring and analysis of the media reporting on Covid-19 immunization is realized through the news aggregator – Time.mk, which includes a total of 125 media – news (63), portals (48) and sports media (14), by searching by key words – “vaccination”, “Filipce” and “anti-vaccines”.
The main purpose of the monitoring is to determine the intensity, quality and dominant narratives in the media coverage of the entire process of Covid-19 vaccination in the country. This report covers the period from January 1, 2021, to January 25, 2022.

Key findings
The analysis of media coverage in the past 13 months showed:

• During the monitoring period, the media represented on the aggregator Time.mk, continuously reported on the vaccination process against KOVID-19.
• Immunization was one of the most prevalent and dominant topics in the media.
• The media coverage was dominated by information supported by data and statements from the competent state health institutions.
• Information and data on the number of vaccinated, the number and type of vaccines received, the characteristics and performance of vaccines, as well as the state of the world were most often transmitted.
• Most media outlets were dominated by identical reports on immunization.
• The journalistic analytical-investigative approach was absent.
• Anti-vaccines and their messages are on the margins of media reporting.