First there was the battle to get the COVID-19 vaccine distributed to states and counties across the country. Now the challenge is convincing everyone to take the shot. Here’s how one radio company is helping to educate the public.
Morgan Murphy Media held “Vaccine Day” on May 14th at its stations in Spokane, Tri-Cities and Yakima to encourage those with vaccine hesitancy to seek the COVID vaccine.
“Vaccine Day” included phone banks, digital outreach and no appointment, drop-in vaccination clinics to increase the rate of adoption in the local communities served by the stations.
“We know the single greatest thing we can do to get our communities back to normal is get more people vaccinated,” said Brian Burns, Morgan Murphy Media executive vice president and chief operating officer. “This is what we do. Devoting a single day to this effort is right in line with our 131- year heritage of community service and part of our broadcaster DNA.”
“We provided a quick and easy way to get questions answered by medical experts and a simple way to get a vaccine without an appointment,” Burns said.
With local health partners, the stations collectively fielded more than 1,000 phone calls. Two stations hosted on-site, no-appointment vaccinations clinics while others
showcased community drop-in clinics.
The campaign included two digital exclusives. “Dose of Information” posts quickly and easily dispelled myths about the vaccine and were shared across social media. And “Why I got vaccinated” offered personal stories about what motivated people to get the shot.
This is no different from any other community service message a radio station does. Don’t drink & drive, buckle up before you drive, be sure to use sunscreen, check for colon cancer, any of those other messages. If someone has a personal issue with being told to buckle up, that’s their personal issue. That’s not a reason why we shouldn’t offer the reminder. Have a nice day. Oh, that’s right, people don’t want to be told to have a nice day.
Anonymous Jones : I actually agree with your point of view but your role as a broadcaster is not to just report the stories you agree with ; but to report all the stories. And so it is for Radio Ink.
They are just the messenger ( much like you as a broadcaster , if you’re doing your job).
I’m interested if there was any push back from the community and /or from listeners?
I am a broadcaster with a pro-individualist, pro-business, pro-free-market and pro-entrepreneur radio show. I unapologetically attack collectivism and the erosion of our economic freedoms.
So, my job, as a broadcaster is to deliver truth. I’ve never told people not to get the vaccine, but I certainly haven’t shamed people for being hesitant or considered hesitancy a problem to be solved through some nonsense “education” initiative.
One more like this and I’m unsubscribing. This is virtue signaling nonsense.
The government is way way way too close to this vaccine for my comfort. A LOT of people feel the same. I don’t need “educated” by other people who also have no idea what’s in it.