Election fever afflicts the media

0

For once, the 2008 campaign category did not completely dominate the media newshole, according to the Project for Excellence in Journalism report for 11/3/08-11/9/08. It weighed in at a mere 27%, still good enough for first place but far below what it’s been pulling during an average week.


However, when you add in election results stories, stories on congressional races, and stories looking at the incoming Obama administration, total coverage balloons to 75%.

The only story not directly related to the elections with any legs at all was the ongoing financial crisis saga. And with the election aftermath still going strong, we expect it to be a big part of next week’s chart, too.

Story Overall Newspaper Online Net.TV CATV Radio
2008 presidential campaign 27% 15% 25% 33% 37% 29%
Presidential election results 21% 24% 25% 20% 15% 25%
New Obama administration 21% 16% 18% 23% 31% 18%
Financial crisis/bailout 8% 15% 7% 7% 4% 8%
Congressional election results 3% 3% 6% 3% 2% 1%
2008 congressional campaigns 2% x 2% 1% 3% 1%
Same sex marriage debate 2% 3% 2% x 1% 3%
New 111th Congress 1% x x x 3% x
Congo civil war 1% 2% x 2% x x
Immigration 1% 3% x x x x
State ballot initiatives x 2% x x x x
Iraq homefront x 2% x x x x
Iran x x 2% x x x
Spitzer/prostitution x x 2% x x x
Taxes x x 1% x x x
US auto industry x x x 2% 1% 1%
Dakota blizzards x x x 1% x x
Michael Crichton dies x x x <1% x x
US economy x x x x 1% x
Supreme Court actions x x x x x 3%
State government races x x x x x <1%

Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism