If it wasn’t political or a hurricane, it barely registered in the media during the week of 9/1/08-9/7/08, according to the Project for Excellence in Journalism. Out of the top 10 stories overall, six made the list with a mere 1% of total coverage, and 4th place went to events in Iraq, with only 2%.
The 2008 campaign, thanks to the Republican National Convention, ate up 58%, while hurricanes Gustav and Hanna grabbed the #2 and #3 slots.
Even developing Hurricane Ike made a cameo appearance on the cable chart. Cable coverage of the campaign was down from the DNC week, however, due to the hurricanes, dropping from 94% to 73%.
| Story | Overall | Newspaper | Online | Net.TV | CATV | Radio |
| 2008 campaign | 58% | 46% | 49% | 63% | 73% | 62% |
| Hurricane Gustav | 17% | 16% | 16% | 18% | 18% | 12% |
| Hurricane Hanna | 4% | 2% | 8% | 6% | 2% | 2% |
| Events in Iraq | 2% | 3% | 2% | x | 1% | 2% |
| US economy | 1% | 1% | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick | 1% | x | 6% | x | x | 1% |
| Pakistan | 1% | 3% | x | <1% | x | 2% |
| Georgia/Russia conflict | 1% | 2% | 2% | x | x | 1% |
| Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac | 1% | 3% | x | x | x | x |
| Google launches Chrome | 1% | 2% | 2% | x | x | x |
| Iraq policy debate | x | 2% | x | 1% | x | x |
| Thailand protests | x | x | 2% | x | x | x |
| General Middle East | x | x | 1% | x | x | x |
| Hurricane Ike | x | x | x | 1% | <1% | x |
| Gas/oil prices | x | x | x | 1% | <1% | 1% |
| Michael Vick | x | x | x | <1% | x | x |
| Iraq homefront | x | x | x | <1% | <1% | x |
| North Korea | x | x | x | x | 1% | x |
| Missing girl in FL | x | x | x | x | 1% | x |
| Congressional corruption | x | x | x | x | x | <1% |
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism
