The death of Michael Jackson and all the events surrounding it is just the kind of story that seems to be irresistible to the 24/7 feed-me cable news cycle.
Yet the broadcast networks actually covered it more intensely, edging cable 30% to 28%. The rest of the media was less enthralled, but the total MJ score of 17% was still enough to lead the week of 6/29/09-7/5/09, according to the Project for Excellence in Journalism.
Excellent timing was exhibited by SC Gov. Mark Sanders, whose scandal was knocked clean out of the top ten stories list.
| Story | Overall | Newspaper | Online | NetTV | CATV | Radio |
| Michael Jackson dies | 17% | 7% | 12% | 30% | 28% | 10% |
| Economic crisis | 10% | 17% | 8% | 8% | 6% | 15% |
| Events in Iraq | 6% | 5% | 4% | 7% | 7% | 4% |
| Afghanistan | 5% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 3% | 2% |
| Health care debate | 5% | 4% | x | x | 8% | 15% |
| Bernard Madoff scam | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 3% | 4% |
| Firefighters SCOTUS case | 4% | 3% | 5% | x | 4% | 4% |
| Iran | 4% | 4% | 10% | x | x | x |
| Congressional election results | 4% | x | 4% | 2% | 6% | 4% |
| Honduras coup | 3% | 4% | 7% | x | x | 4% |
| Sarah Palin | x | 3% | x | 2% | 6% | x |
| Yemeni plane crash | x | x | 7% | x | x | x |
| FDA painkiller warning | x | x | x | 2% | x | x |
| Gov. Sanford scandal | x | x | x | 2% | 4% | x |
| Air France plane crash | x | x | x | 2% | x | x |
| Energy debate | x | x | x | x | x | 2% |
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism
