In the world of real news, the health care debate outdueled the economic crisis for the top spot in the latest Project for Excellence in Journalism coverage survey for the week of 10/12-18/09. But the Balloon Boy story, which turned out to be a hoax, came in a strong 3rd with 8% of the media’a attention, fueled by a 16% score on cable.
Afghanistan and Pakistan also picked up significant coverage – after that, coverage was all over the map. Rush Limbaugh’s failed Rams bid was a top ten story, and was especially popular with radio news directors, but the only other medium ranking it in the top ten was cable.
| Story | Overall | Newspaper | Online | NetTV | CATV | Radio |
| Health care debate | 21% | 15% | 21% | 16% | 29% | 22% |
| Economic crisis | 12% | 12% | 17% | 17% | 5% | 13% |
| Balloon Boy Falcon Heene | 8% | 3% | 5% | 8% | 16% | 7% |
| Afghanistan | 7% | 5% | 6% | 11% | 7% | 5% |
| Pakistan | 4% | 5% | 6% | 3% | x | 3% |
| Swine flu | 4% | 5% | x | 6% | 3% | x |
| Limbaugh’s failed Rams bid | 2% | x | x | x | 4% | 6% |
| Obama administration | 2% | x | 2% | x | 5% | x |
| Education system | 2% | 4% | x | x | x | 3% |
| Hurricane Katrina aftermath | 2% | x | x | x | 5% | 2% |
| Domestic terrorism | x | 3% | x | x | x | x |
| Cyberspace issues | x | 3% | x | x | x | x |
| US airline industry | x | 2% | x | x | x | x |
| Russia | x | x | 3% | x | x | x |
| Nobel Prizes | x | x | 3% | x | x | x |
| Obama wins Nobel Peace | x | x | 3% | x | 2% | x |
| Jaycee Dugard | x | x | 2% | 3% | x | x |
| Early winter weather | x | x | x | 3% | x | x |
| Taxes | x | x | x | 2% | x | x |
| CA mudslides | x | x | x | 2% | x | x |
| Gays in the military | x | x | x | x | 1% | x |
| Events in Iraq | x | x | x | x | x | 2% |
| Global warming | x | x | x | x | x | 1% |
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism
