Just as local broadcasters played an important role in providing information at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, now they are working to help spread the word about vaccines as the NAB has announced a partnership with Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute on a nationwide research project with the goal of identifying effective COVID-19 vaccine education messaging.
The research project, conducted by SmithGeiger, is meant to help develop tools and resources for local radio and television broadcasters, as well as other journalists, to craft public health messages and educational programming for their communities. It will do so by surveying the informational needs of news consumers in the context of the current cultural, political and pandemic environment to understand how media coverage influences attitudes toward and actions taken regarding COVID-19 vaccines.
NAB and RJI say they will use the findings to produce a toolkit for local broadcasters that provides messaging guidance focused on a local and regional approach, rather than a single national message. The toolkit will include regional research findings, sample messaging and suggested tactics, with all resources available in English and Spanish and shared with all local radio and TV stations, as well as partner groups that represent broadcasters serving culturally diverse communities.
Read more at TV Technology.
