Media in general agreement on top stories

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In a stunning display of uniformity, all five of the media categories covered by the Project for Excellence in Journalism during the week of 9/21-27/09 were in almost perfect agreement on what were the week’s top stories. Only four additional stories were included on any of the single medium top ten lists, a stunningly low number.


And even more amazing was the fact that the top story – the UN session – received only 10% of all coverage. It usually takes at least 20% to earn the number one slot. And five other stories came in with 8% or 9% scores.

Two media, online and network TV, were in total agreement with the overall concensus, although in wildly different story order. This is rarely the case for even one medium.

Here are the full results:

Story Overall Newspaper Online NetTV CATV Radio
UN session 10% 5% 9% 11% 10% 21%
Health care debate 9% 6% 2% 6% 17% 14%
Afghanistan 9% 10% 10% 7% 10% 4%
Economic crisis 8% 18% 8% 3% 4% 5%
Iran 8% 4% 11% 9% 10% 7%
NYC terror plot 8% 8% 12% 8% 6% 3%
G-20 summit 5% 6% 8% 2% 3% 2%
Obama administration 4% x 4% 3% 3% 9%
Southeastern floods 3% x 3% 6% 3% 2%
Swine flu 2% x 3% 6% x x
Pollution/going green x 6% x x x 3%
2010 elections x 4% x x x x
Cyberspace issues x 2% x x x x
ACORN controversy x x x x 6% x

Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism