New Study Reveals How Media Consumption Influences Vaccine Hesitancy in the U.S.

Adults who regularly follow ‘new right’ media outlets—such as Breitbart, Newsmax, and Zero Hedge—are more than twice as likely to be vaccine-hesitant compared to those who never engage with these sources, according to a new study.

The research, published in the journal Vaccine, surveyed nearly 3,000 adults in August 2025 as measles cases surged in the United States. Participants were asked about their news and health information sources, as well as their views on the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Key Findings on Media Consumption and Vaccine Attitudes

• ‘New right’ media exposure: Adults who frequently consumed content from outlets like Breitbart, Newsmax, and Zero Hedge were significantly more likely to express hesitancy toward the MMR vaccine.
• Non-authoritative health sources: Vaccine-hesitant adults were more likely to rely on alternative health providers, social media influencers, and newsletters such as Children’s Health Defense for health information.

“Our work reveals a strong association between people’s specific media habits and their attitudes towards vaccination. Our findings suggest that when everyone is already engaging online, where and how they choose to do so matters.”

Measles Outbreak and Vaccination Trends

In 2025, the U.S. reported more than 2,000 measles cases across 43 states—the highest since the disease was declared eradicated in 2000. Nearly all cases occurred in unvaccinated individuals.

The outbreak follows a decline in childhood vaccination rates, including the MMR vaccine, since the COVID-19 pandemic. Current coverage among school children stands at 93%, below the 95% herd immunity threshold required to prevent measles spread.

Demographics of Vaccine Hesitancy

The study found that vaccine-hesitant adults were:

• Significantly younger: 62% were under age 44.
• More likely to be parents.
• More likely to be racial minorities, lower-income, and less educated.
• More politically conservative: 39% identified as Republican, and 33% as Independent.
• More likely to support the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement: 43% of hesitant adults identified with MAHA, compared to 27% of non-hesitant adults.

Despite these differences, 87% of all participants reported following the news, with no significant gap between hesitant and non-hesitant groups. Nearly all participants engaged with multiple news sources daily.