What do Americans Think of the Media’s Coverage of COVID-19?

Perception of the COVID-19 crisis is, in no small part, shaped by the media we choose to consume.

So, Do Americans Believe That the Media’s Coverage of COVID-19 is Accurate?

Most of us know we shouldn’t take everything we hear or read as fact. Different news outlets have different agendas and, as a result, different spin. But, when it comes to a global health pandemic, we hope that the facts are science and science isn’t up for interpretation.

But, what is the reality of American perception of COVID-19 coverage? Of course, if we’re looking for facts in our news coverage, that means we should start with facts in our research. That’s why
Resonate is tracking consumer sentiment during the coronavirus pandemic and updating the data in real-time. We surveyed American adult consumers and asked specifically for their opinions on the accuracy of the media’s coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

And, despite the messages we hear on both sides about the media’s trustworthiness, it seems that the overall perception is positive.

In fact, 70% of respondents believe that the media is appropriately representing the coronavirus pandemic. On the far ends of the spectrum, 22% believe it is over-represented and only 7% believe it is under-represented. Let’s dig into each of these groups.

Appropriately Representing: 162.1 Million

From watching Dr. Fauci’s recommendation to heeding the stay-at-home orders and awaiting the phased reopening plans covered on local news, 162.1 million Americans believe that the media is appropriately representing the COVID-19 crisis.

Here are a few key demographics:

• 51% female
• 20% 25-34 years old
• 25% 25-50K annual household income
• 33% have some college, 30% have a college degree
• 55% married
• 56% no children
• 32% of this group spends 20-40 hours a week online and their media consumption includes PBS NewsHour, NBC Nightly News, USA Today, Washington Post and The New York Times.

When we look at their personal values, they are more likely to value tolerance and equality, including social justice and inclusion. They likely want to see coverage that touches on the extent of the COVID-19 crisis across a diverse range of communities. We know that this pandemic hasn’t necessarily affected all populations similarly and this group would be particularly sensitive to that being brought to light. And, since this is an issue that’s been covered by many national news outlets, including The New York Times, this likely leads to their answer that, yes, the media is portraying the crisis accurately.

Over-Representing: 51.2 Million

We have also identified a group that believes the media is over-representing the coronavirus pandemic. This group skews older and include those who believe stay-at-home orders should be voluntary or that this crisis is more akin to a bad strain of the flu than a global health tragedy.

Here are a few key demographics:

• 54% female
• 19% 45-54 years old
• 29% 25-50K annual household income
• 36% have some college, 28% have a college degree
• 64% married
• 52% no children

29% of this group spends 20-40 hours online a week and their top media sources are Fox, CBS Evening News, ABC World News Tonight and their local daily newspaper. They value duty and dependability, which could align with a sense of obligation to their community, which aligns with the local paper as their primary newspaper.

Under-Representing: 16.2 Million

Lastly, there are those who believe the media is actually under-representing the COVID-19 crisis and could do more to inform the general public. We mentioned earlier, this is a small group –– only 7% of the total adult population. Most of us would probably agree that the coverage is practically non-stop across channels, so it could be that this group believes there is necessary information that is getting lost in the noise or that certain groups’ struggles aren’t being represented adequately.

Here are a few key demographics:

• 52% female
• 20% 25-34 years old
• 27% 25-50K annual household income
• 36% have some college, 28% have a college degree
• 54% married
• 55% no children

31% of this group spends 20-40 hours a week online and their top media sources are CNN, PBS NewsHour, ABC World News Tonight and the Wall Street Journal. Similar to the appropriately represented group, these consumers value tolerance and equality, including social justice and inclusion.

Comparing These Three Media Coverage + COVID-19 Groups

In the charts below, the appropriately represented group is in turquoise, over-represented is in red and under-represented is in purple.

The over-represented group is 26% more likely than the average American to identify as very socially conservative and 19% more likely to identify as very fiscally conservative. Appropriately represented is 8% less likely and under-represented is 14% less likely to be very socially conservative, while appropriately represented is 6% less likely than the average American to be very fiscally conservative and under-represented is 12% less likely.

This aligns with the protests and opinion pieces that indicate more conservative Americans are increasingly eager to reopen the economy and that this may be at odds with the media’s coverage of COVID-19 as a crisis that could last for months, if not longer.

Note: appropriately represented group is in turquoise, over-represented is in red and under-represented is in purple

Additionally, we see that the two groups that said the media was either appropriately represented or under-represented groups are more likely to value equality, which aligns with a want to learn more about how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting different communities. Meanwhile, the over-represented group does value safety in oneself and family, which could indicate that their sentiment is based on what they’re seeing in their immediate local communities (also, see their local newspaper as primary news source) and therefore there appears to be a disconnect when they look to broader media outlets.

Note: appropriately represented group is in turquoise, over-represented is in red and under-represented is in purple

What Does This Mean for Media Outlets in 2020?

All media outlets, print, television or digital, all strive for fair and accurate reporting, of course. But, this does give us a glimpse into the coverage that consumers are looking for. On one side, they want to see stories that are giving equal and just airtime to all communities, and, on the other, there is a want for news that impacts their immediate safety and community.

How does one go about doing that? Perhaps the way to reach those who believe the media has over-represented the pandemic is by emphasizing that, while their community may be okay today, the nation and world at large will trickle down to them eventually. And, for those who want to see social justice represented, emphasize stories that represent diverse viewpoints throughout the crisis.

Curious about how COVID-19 is impacting consumers beyond the news desk? Download our latest report, Understanding the Evolving U.S. Consumer Sentiment During the Coronavirus Pandemic today for a cross-vertical look into the morale, motivations and decisions U.S. adults are making today.