Over one fourth of available time and space went to coverage of the death of Ted Kennedy. After that, it became a debate between competing media as to which story was #2, health care or economics, according to the Project for Excellence in Journalism report for the week of 8/24-30/09. Except at radio, where the economic crisis was a big winner with 31% and Kennedy came in second. See full results by clicking the headline.
| Story | Overall | Newspaper | Online | NetTV | CATV | Radio |
| Ted Kennedy dies | 27% | 25% | 24% | 35% | 34% | 15% |
| Health care debate | 11% | 6% | 4% | 6% | 20% | 31% |
| Economic crisis | 11% | 17% | 16% | 7% | 6% | 7% |
| Domestic terrorism | 9% | 7% | 10% | 5% | 14% | 4% |
| Jaycee Dugard | 5% | 2% | 9% | 7% | 5% | x |
| Afghanistan | 3% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 1% | x |
| Michael Jackson dies | 3% | x | 3% | 5% | 5% | x |
| Swine flu | 3% | 2% | 3% | 7% | x | 2% |
| Obama administration | 2% | 3% | x | x | 3% | 4% |
| Education system | 1% | 3% | x | x | 1% | 2% |
| US auto industry | x | 2% | x | x | x | x |
| Events in Iraq | x | x | 4% | x | x | x |
| Hurricane Bill/storms | x | x | 2% | 3% | x | x |
| Ryan Jenkins murder/suicide | x | x | x | 3% | x | x |
| Lockerbie bomber freed | x | x | x | x | 2% | 2% |
| Hurrican Katrina aftermath | x | x | x | x | x | 5% |
| Cyberspace issues | x | x | x | x | x | 2% |
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism
