6.22
Annenberg School for Communication
Is the threat of COVID vaccine hesitancy getting enough attention?
Is the threat of COVID vaccine hesitancy getting enough attention?
The ultimate key to ending the coronavirus pandemic is developing an effective vaccine and administering it to the population. But a number of trends are converging in ways that may prevent the achievement of that population-wide herd immunity.
Better care for COVID patients through virtual reality
Better care for COVID patients through virtual reality
An interdisciplinary team from Penn joined efforts with physicians in New York to fast-track virtual reality coronavirus training materials.
Meeting the challenge of vaccination hesitancy
Meeting the challenge of vaccination hesitancy
Annenberg School for Communication professor Damon Centola explores root causes of vaccine hesitancy and actionable steps to address it.
Local news volume does not increase pro-social behaviors during COVID-19
Local news volume does not increase pro-social behaviors during COVID-19
Previous research found people were more likely to engage in civic behaviors—like voting, recycling, or wearing a face covering—when their local newspaper includes coverage of these activities. New research finds that may not be as relevant anymore.
Videos, webinars and lots of feedback: Medical training’s shift amid COVID-19
Videos, webinars and lots of feedback: Medical training’s shift amid COVID-19
Because hands-on learning and in-person simulations have been so altered during the coronavirus pandemic, there is now high demand for updated training videos and shifting best practices.
Cultivating robust civil dialogue during times of unrest
Cultivating robust civil dialogue during times of unrest
Through the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Paideia Program, Penn students are learning how to reflect on and engage with subjects like the coronavirus pandemic and the criminal justice system.
Scholarship through the lens of an iconic media brand
Scholarship through the lens of an iconic media brand
A new Annenberg course centered around HBO offered undergrads hands-on exposure to media production and a chance to hone their analytical skills using primary source materials.
The joys and trials of defending a dissertation virtually
The joys and trials of defending a dissertation virtually
When most aspects of university life moved online because of COVID-19, so, too, did the thesis defense for Ph.D. candidates. Despite some challenges, the shift had unexpected benefits.
Do political beliefs affect social distancing?
Do political beliefs affect social distancing?
A new study found that political partisanship influenced Americans’ decisions to voluntarily engage in physical distancing at the start of the pandemic, particularly in response to communications by state governors.
The dangers of sharing personal information on social media
The dangers of sharing personal information on social media
Joseph Turow, a professor of communication at the Annenberg School for Communication, says hackers may be using your posts against you.
In the News
Associated Press
Biden on cognitive test: ‘Why the hell would I take a test?’
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center said verbal slips are not enough to conclude that a presidential candidate is unqualified for the job. “If you can’t focus, that’s a problem. If you can’t provide a coherent answer, that’s a problem. (But) sometimes what you’re seeing, it may be annoying, but it doesn’t speak to a person’s capacity to govern,” she said.
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The Washington Post
Facebook’s fact-checkers have ruled claims in Trump ads are false—but no one is telling Facebook’s users
Facebook employed fact checkers, including the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s FactCheck.org, to assess political ads on the platform but has not shared the results with the ads’ viewers. “The policy should be that you provide Facebook users with as much information as you can to make good decisions. That’s why we’re here,” said Eugene Kiely of FactCheck.org. “I don’t see how you can argue against giving Facebook users more information.”
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Mashable.com
Once again, there is no 'anti-conservative' bias on social media
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center said accusations of systemic bias against conservatives by social media platforms are unfounded, in part because there’s no way to prove it. “From a methodological standpoint, it’s virtually impossible to do,” she said. “You'll never capture the full base of the content in order to start your analysis.”
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The Washington Post
Conservative media helps Trump perform ‘law and order’ in Portland, with risks for November
Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center spoke about media coverage of the federal crackdown in Portland, Oregon. “The framing of this is dramatically different news channel to news channel, and this is an instance in which the visuals are difficult to understand because you’re seeing people in what look to be a kind of military uniform, and it’s unfolding at night,” she said.
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NBC News
Hedge funds scoop up local newspapers withering under COVID-19 cuts
Victor Pickard of the Annenberg School for Communication commented on efforts by hedge funds to acquire struggling newspapers. “This is bad for journalists, bad for media diversity and bad for communities at a time when we desperately need more local journalism, not less,” he said.
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