The tuberculosis traveler topped the Project for Excellence in Journalism newshole chart for the week of 5/27/07-6/1/07, and talk show hosts generally follow the lead of the news industry. But not this week. Whereas newsers gave the TV traveler 12% of total coverage, talkers limited the topic to 6%.
Instead, they went the 2008 campaign, taking #2 news topic to #1 on the talk chart, and upping the focus from 9% to 21%. The #3 news topic, events in Iraq (7%), was devalued to #6/4% on the talk chart, but Iraq policy, at #7/4% on the news chart, was elevated to #2/11% by talkers.
Talkers also amplified the immigration drumbeat from #5/4% to #4/10%. PEJ said that the heightened talker interest in the upcoming election was more an indication of talkers following their standard operating procedure than it was tied to any specific developments or events in the campaign.
