The total media attention paid to the 2008 campaign during the week of 1/21/08-1/27/08 was exactly the same as during the prior week of 1/14/08-1/20/08, at 39%, according to the latest coverage survey from the Project for Excellence in Journalism.
The #2 story remained the same as well. It was the US economy, and its coverage actually gained steam, rising from 12% to 19% of the newshole. With nearly 60% of the journalistic focus lavished on two stories, there wasn’t a lot of room for much else. Coverage of the untimely passing of actor Heath Ledger was alone in 3rd place with only a 4% share.
Conversely, when tiny percentages are enough to make it onto the overall top ten list — and four stories made the list with a mere 1% share — then idiosyncrasies are sure to appear on the individual media top ten lists. This week was no exception to that general rule, with 15 stories percolating below the overall top ten here or there. Cable perhaps set the standard for idiosyncratic coverage, again supplying almost wall-to-wall election material with a 61% share, hitting the #2 and #3 stories, then moving completely off the overall chart for its own seven remaining top ten stories.
|
Story |
Overall |
Newspr |
Online |
NetTV |
CATV |
Radio |
|
2008 campaign |
39% |
29% |
23% |
36% |
61% |
45% |
|
US economy |
19% |
23% |
13% |
26% |
12% |
22% |
|
Heath Ledger passes |
4% |
1% |
5% |
6% |
7% |
1% |
|
NFL playoffs |
2% |
6% |
x |
1% |
x |
2% |
|
Iraq events |
2% |
4% |
4% |
2% |
x |
<1% |
|
Eqypt/Palestine border |
2% |
x |
9% |
2% |
x |
1% |
|
Iran |
1% |
x |
7% |
x |
x |
x |
|
Iraq homefront |
1% |
3% |
x |
1% |
x |
x |
|
MLK holiday |
1% |
2% |
x |
1% |
x |
1% |
|
Oscars |
1% |
x |
5% |
x |
x |
1% |
|
Kenya elections/violence |
x |
1% |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
Health care |
x |
1% |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
Beijing Olympics |
x |
1% |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
Pakistan |
x |
x |
2% |
x |
x |
x |
|
War on terror |
x |
x |
2% |
x |
x |
x |
|
Domestic terrorism |
x |
x |
2% |
x |
1% |
x |
|
China |
x |
x |
x |
1% |
x |
x |
|
Heart disease rsch |
x |
x |
x |
1% |
x |
x |
|
Vegas hotel fire |
x |
x |
x |
x |
2% |
x |
|
Stacy Peterson |
x |
x |
x |
x |
2% |
x |
|
Immigration |
x |
x |
x |
x |
2% |
x |
|
Missing Marine |
x |
x |
x |
x |
1% |
x |
|
Fidel Castro’s health |
x |
x |
x |
x |
1% |
x |
|
Jena LA controversy |
x |
x |
x |
x |
1% |
<1% |
|
Global warming |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
2% |
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism
