The shootings at Fort Hood was the top story among US journalism outlets for the second week in a row, although this time it was not by a unanimous verdict across all media, according to the Project for Excellence in Journalism survey for 11/9-15/09. Radio, the lone dissenter, put the story #3.
The usual suspects of late were also at the top of the charts – the economy, health care and Afghanistan. The Fort Hood story easily took the overall top slot with 20% of the newshole. The economy and the health care debate were the only others to get into double-digits, but just barely with 11% each.
Four of the items on the overall top ten list were specific to the week and therefore unlikely to make a repeat appearance next week, including stories about Veterans Day, the Berlin Wall anniversary, the advent of Hurricane Ida and the execution of the DC sniper.
Story | Overall | Newspaper | Online | NetTV | CATV | Radio |
Fort Hood shootings | 20% | 16% | 14% | 22% | 30% | 14% |
Economic crisis | 11% | 15% | 12% | 6% | 6% | 21% |
Health care debate | 11% | 8% | 5% | 7% | 19% | 17% |
Afghanistan | 7% | 5% | 10% | 6% | 9% | 3% |
Domestic terrorism | 5% | x | 7% | 5% | 6% | 7% |
DC sniper execution | 3% | 3% | 8% | x | x | 1% |
Veterans day | 2% | 2% | 3% | x | 3% | x |
Berlin Wall anniversary | 2% | x | 4% | x | 3% | 2% |
Hurricane Ida | 2% | x | x | 7% | x | 1% |
Education system | 2% | 6% | x | x | x | x |
Events in Iraq | x | 4% | x | x | x | x |
Obama Asia trip | x | 4% | x | x | x | x |
Pakistan | x | 2% | x | x | x | x |
NASA moon bombing | x | x | 3% | x | x | x |
Obama administration | x | x | 3% | x | x | x |
Swine flu | x | x | x | 4% | 2% | x |
Sarah Palin | x | x | x | 3% | 4% | x |
US airline industry | x | x | x | 2% | x | x |
David Letterman | x | x | x | 2% | x | x |
Iraq War homefront | x | x | x | x | 1% | x |
Supreme Court actions | x | x | x | x | x | 2% |
Iraeli-Palestinian conflict | x | x | x | x | x | 1% |
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism