Journalists expended 44% of available time and space on the 2008 campaign during the week of 2/18/08-2/24/08, According to the Project for Excellence in Journalism, up from 40% the week prior. As has beenthe pattern, cable has led the way a 69% tunnel vision approach to the story. The ultimate effect is to crowd out coverage of other stories which might otherwise garner more attention. Current events did manage to dictate coverage this time, as opposed to ongoing stories — six of the top ten on the overall coverage chart weren’t there the week before. And of those, only one — Pakistan — appeared on any media chart the prior week. The changing of the guard by the Castro brothers put Cuba on the map, while coverage of Iraq remained very light.
| Story | Overall | Newspr | Online | NetTV | CATV | Radio |
| 2008 campaign | 44% | 31% | 29% | 37% | 69% | 53% |
| Kosovo independence | 7% | 4% | 8% | 7% | 8% | 7% |
| Cuba | 6% | 7% | 10% | 7% | 2% | 8% |
| Pakistan | 4% | 6% | 10% | 4% | <1% | 4% |
| US economy | 4% | 9% | x | 4% | x | 1% |
| Navy downs satellite | 2% | x | 7% | 4% | 2% | x |
| Beef recall | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 1% | 1% |
| Iraq events | 1% | x | 3% | 1% | x | 2% |
| Bush in Africa | 1% | x | 2% | 4% | x | x |
| Domestic terrorism | 1% | 2% | x | x | 1% | 2% |
| Russia | x | 2% | x | x | x | x |
| Iraq homefront | x | 2% | x | x | x | x |
| Gas/oil prices | x | 1% | x | x | x | x |
| Kenya elections/violence | x | x | 2% | x | x | x |
| N.Ill.U. shootings | x | x | 2% | 2% | 1% | x |
| Immigration | x | x | x | x | 1% | x |
| Congress corruption | x | x | x | x | 1% | x |
| Oscars | x | x | x | x | x | 2% |
| Heath Ledger passes | x | x | x | x | x | 1% |
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism
