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Muhammad Yousaf earned his doctorate in Communication Studies at the Communication University of China in 2018. He is the recipient of three Gold Medals in M.Sc. Communication from University of the Punjab. He is associated as an assistant professor with the Centre for Media & Communication Studies, University of Gujrat, Pakistan. Dr. Yousaf is trained in quantitative research. He does research in media effects, public opinion & advocacy journalism, public opinion and development communication. He has published in Scopus & SSCI journals.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have reached a turning point as the World Health Organization and the global community of nations step up plans for mass vaccination campaigns. However, the COVID-19 vaccine-related conspiracy theories (e.g., falsehoods about birth control, women infertility, surveillance, and microchip humanity, etc.) have built new momentum for vaccine hesitancy. To this end, several nations worldwide, including Pakistan, are struggling to boost public trust and enthusiasm to get vaccinated, especially in an anxious and complicated atmosphere propelled by multiple, new and the deadliest variants of COVID-19. To address this critical research gap during these intensifying conditions of vaccine hesitancy, the present study makes the first attempt to explore the potential effects of various communication strategies, including public service message (safety benefits versus fear appraisals), media types (i.e., traditional versus digital), self-efficacy, perceived benefits and threats (susceptibility and severity), on the willingness to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Importantly, the underlying effects of public skepticism (in a moderating role) on these relationships were empirically examined. Using four fictitious COVID-19 immunization campaigns in a series of experiments with 2 (media type: traditional vs. digital) X 2 (service attribute: health and safety benefits vs. fear) message frames (represented as Group one to Group four), the findings identified fear appraisal as the most viable communication strategy in combating vaccine hesitancy. Moreover, public skepticism negatively moderated the effects of media types and public service message attributes on willingness to get vaccinated in relatively high (i.e., Group two), moderate (i.e., Group one and four), and low intensities (i.e., Group three). The pioneering findings of this research offer new strategic insights for the global health authorities and vaccine promoters to proactively address the downward spiral of people’s willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
Qiang Jin; Syed Raza; Muhammad Yousaf; Umer Zaman; Jenny Siang. Can Communication Strategies Combat COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy with Trade-Off between Public Service Messages and Public Skepticism? Experimental Evidence from Pakistan. Vaccines 2021, 9, 757 .
AMA StyleQiang Jin, Syed Raza, Muhammad Yousaf, Umer Zaman, Jenny Siang. Can Communication Strategies Combat COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy with Trade-Off between Public Service Messages and Public Skepticism? Experimental Evidence from Pakistan. Vaccines. 2021; 9 (7):757.
Chicago/Turabian StyleQiang Jin; Syed Raza; Muhammad Yousaf; Umer Zaman; Jenny Siang. 2021. "Can Communication Strategies Combat COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy with Trade-Off between Public Service Messages and Public Skepticism? Experimental Evidence from Pakistan." Vaccines 9, no. 7: 757.
Journal of Media Watch is a double blind peer-reviewed tri-annual journal published from India. It is the only journal in the discipline from Asia and India listed in many leading indexing platforms
Muhammad Yousaf; BushraHameedur Rahman; Zahid Yousaf. Constructing Reality: Framing of the Kashmir Conflict in Dictatorial and Democratic Regimes in the Pakistani English Press. Media Watch 2020, 11, 1 .
AMA StyleMuhammad Yousaf, BushraHameedur Rahman, Zahid Yousaf. Constructing Reality: Framing of the Kashmir Conflict in Dictatorial and Democratic Regimes in the Pakistani English Press. Media Watch. 2020; 11 (3):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuhammad Yousaf; BushraHameedur Rahman; Zahid Yousaf. 2020. "Constructing Reality: Framing of the Kashmir Conflict in Dictatorial and Democratic Regimes in the Pakistani English Press." Media Watch 11, no. 3: 1.
Context Despite being a nuclear power, Pakistan does not have satisfactory human development indicators. The 2018 UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) ranking places it at 150 out of 189 countries, the lowest in the region after Afghanistan. Purpose The present study examines advocacy journalism coverage of human development issues versus other issues in the contents of mainstream Pakistani newspapers and investigates the factors behind inadequate space given to them. The study further explores the association between editorial and readers’ priorities. Methods The quantitative content analysis method is used to measure and compare the frequency of sample content in five categories coupled with qualitative in‐depth interviews with veteran journalists/academics to explain the factors that influence the editorial content. Findings At the cost of using precious space to advocate for voiceless factions’ hardships and ultimately to improve the country's HDI value, editorial contents are dominated by the discourse produced by the communication bureaucracies of powerful national and international establishments. For instance, issues‐ based policies of the state and political actors that do not concern human development, and warmongering and actual conflicts with India and Afghanistan, are given considerably greater coverage. Moreover, readers’ reactions to editorial content through Facebook Likes indicate a clear difference between editorial and readers’ priorities. Policy Implications The communication aspects of development programmes should actively feed editorial boards regarding current global development agendas to ensure sufficient coverage of their advocacy. It is imperative to make the UNESCO‐led syllabus ‘Teaching Journalism for Sustainable Development’ an integral part of the country's journalism curriculum. Relevant bodies should organize professional editorial training to raise awareness of how to use precious space wisely for the advocacy of development issues and how to be alert to the readers’ priority issues. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Shafiq Ahmad Kamboh; Muhammad Yousaf. Human development and advocacy journalism: Analysis of low editorial coverage in Pakistan. Development Policy Review 2019, 38, 646 -663.
AMA StyleShafiq Ahmad Kamboh, Muhammad Yousaf. Human development and advocacy journalism: Analysis of low editorial coverage in Pakistan. Development Policy Review. 2019; 38 (5):646-663.
Chicago/Turabian StyleShafiq Ahmad Kamboh; Muhammad Yousaf. 2019. "Human development and advocacy journalism: Analysis of low editorial coverage in Pakistan." Development Policy Review 38, no. 5: 646-663.