The media has certainly begun to spread its attention around again in the aftermath of the 2008 election season – and there’s been plenty to look into. According to the Project for Excellence in Journalism charts for 12/1/08-12/7/08, four stories made it into double digits, with a mere 20% needed by the financial crisis to claim the top slot.
A wide-ranging field of interest included financial matters, the incoming Obama administration, foreign matters and a return by O.J. Simpson, whose sentencing gave him a 3% share of total coverage.
Story | Overall | Newspaper | Online | Net.TV | CATV | Radio |
Financial crisis | 20% | 27% | 21% | 18% | 16% | 11% |
New Obama administration | 18% | 17% | 19% | 12% | 23% | 18% |
US auto industry | 17% | 14% | 11% | 20% | 22% | 19% |
Mumbai terror attacks | 11% | 14% | 9% | 16% | 6% | 10% |
Holiday season | 3% | 2% | x | 2% | 4% | 6% |
O.J. Simpson | 3% | x | 4% | 1% | 6% | x |
Congressional election results | 3% | x | 4% | x | 4% | 3% |
President Bush’s last days | 2% | x | x | 4% | 3% | 2% |
Thailand protests/unrest | 1% | x | 6% | x | x | x |
Domestic terrorism | 1% | x | x | x | 4% | x |
Health care debate | x | 3% | x | x | x | x |
Mexican drug war | x | 2% | 2% | x | x | x |
Events in Iraq | x | 2% | x | x | x | x |
Afghanistan | x | 1% | x | x | x | x |
Zimbabwe | x | 1% | x | x | x | x |
Pirates from Somalia | x | x | 3% | x | x | x |
Gas/oil prices | x | x | 2% | x | x | 1% |
Plaxico Burress | x | x | x | 2% | x | x |
Presidential election results | x | x | x | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Cyberspace issues | x | x | x | 1% | x | x |
Immigration | x | x | x | x | x | 6% |
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism