Almost neither reports, nor analytics on vaccination in regional online media - IMI study

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Analysis, expert opinions and reports from vaccination sites in the regional media accounted for only 2.4% of the total number of journalistic pieces on COVID-19 vaccination. At the same time, 93.6% of journalistic pieces in regional online media were news, upcoming events announcements and official reports about the course of vaccination. These are the results of the IMI survey conducted in June 2021 in 10 regions of Ukraine *.

The study also found a relatively low overall percentage of vaccination coverage: only 3.5% of the total items in regional online media newswire covered the subject.

Thus, the monitoring revealed a critically low rate of analytical texts, expert opinions, as well as reports from vaccination sites covering the vaccination. Expert opinions (columns / blogs) and analytical pieces accounted for 1% of the articles in the online media, respectively, and reports from vaccination sites did 0.4%. At the same time, the vaccination news accounted for 48% of vaccination texts, announcements did for 24.6%, and official vaccination reports did for 21% of the total number of publications on this topic. Other materials accounted for 4% of the total number of publications on COVID-19 vaccination .

Most materials about vaccination against COVID-19 were published by the online media of Lviv, Kropyvnytskyi and Cherkasy : 6% of the total number of materials in the online media of the region, respectively. Volyn and Dnipro online media wrote the least about vaccination: 2% of materials, respectively.

As for the sources of information, 40% of the sources of information about COVID 19 vaccination were press services, spokespersons, 18% of the total number of sources of information fell on social networks and messengers, 14.5% of sources of information did on official websites. Another 11% of sources of information were other Ukrainian media, and foreign media accounted for 3% of sources of information. We should note that the author's pieces on vaccination in the regional online media was not more than 8.5%. Another 4% of news on this topic did not contain references to sources of information.

* The study analyzed 7873 materials in the news feeds of regional online media, including 276 materials on vaccination from COVID-19 and 283 sources of information in materials on vaccination of 50 regional online media in 10 regions of Ukraine (Volyn, Dnipro, Donetsk (Mariupol , Slavyansk), Kropyvnytskyi, Lviv, Odessa, Rivne, Kharkiv, Kherson, Cherkasy) from 7 to 11 June 2021 inclusive. All materials from the online media news feed were monitored.

The monitoring methodology included analysis of the number of publications on vaccination against COVID-19, sources of information in news on vaccination against COVID-19 (own work, social networks / messengers, official websites, press services / spokesmen / press releases, other Ukrainian media (regional / all-Ukrainian), foreign media (including Russian ones), without sources, other), as well as the type of content about vaccination from COVID-19 (vaccination news, announcements / announcements, official reports on the course of vaccination, expert opinions / columns / blogs, analytics, reports from vaccination sites, etc.).                                                        

Monitoring was conducted in the following media:

VOLYN (Volyn Novyny, VolynPost, Volyn24, Rayon.in.ua,Pid Prytsilom), DNIPRO (Vidkryty, 056, Dniprovska Panorama, Informator, gorod.dp.ua), DONETSK (MARIUPOL) (0629, Novyny Donbasu, Karachun (Slovyansk) , Vostochny Variant, MRPL.CITY), KROPYVNYTSKY ( Hrechka, Tochka Dostupu, CBN, Dozor,Bez Coupures), LVIV (Lviv portal, Zakhid.net, Vgolos, 032.ua, Tvoye Misto), ODESSA (Dumska, 048, Odeskaya Zhyzn, USI.Odesa, Odessa online), RIVNE (Radio Track, Rivne Vechirne, Rivnemedia, Rivne 1, OGO), KHARKIV (ATN, Status Quo, City X, KHARKIV Today, 057.ua), KHERSON(KhersonOnline, Miy Kherson, Lubimy Kherson, Khersonshchyna za den, Khersontsi), CHERKASY (Vycherpno, 18000, Procherk, Zmi.ck.ua, Provse).

This study was made possible by the support of the American people through the USAID Media Program in Ukraine project, implemented by the international organization Internews Network. The contents are the sole responsibility of the Institute of Mass Information and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the US Government or the Internews Network.