The election fired back over the 50% point during the 3/3/08-3/9/08, according to the lastest survey from the Project for Excellence in Journalism, finally resting at 52%, fueled by another 77% tunnel-vision performance from the cable sector.
Radio was about at par with 54% coverage and network TV was just under at 48% The economy continued its run as the top also-ran, and the total media top ten coverage chart reverted to its 2008 pattern of having ample room for stories on the hit parade with a mere 1-share. Four of them qualified this time around.
And here’s something we can’t ever remember happening since PEJ began producing these charts a little over a year ago: Although there are four foreign categories on the list, and domestic terrorism also qualified, there is not one mention of Iraq to be found.
| Story | Overall | Newspr | Online | NetTV | CATV | Radio |
| 2008 campaign | 52% | 39% | 34% | 48% | 77% | 54% |
| US economy | 7% | 11% | 7% | 8% | 2% | 5% |
| Israel/Palestine | 4% | 5% | 9% | 2% | 2% | 5% |
| Times Sq. blast | 2% | x | 6% | 2% | 3% | 1% |
| Russia | 2% | 2% | 5% | 1% | x | x |
| Iran | 2% | 3% | x | x | 1% | 1% |
| South America tensions | 1% | x | 3% | 3% | <1% | 1% |
| Gas/oil prices | 1% | x | 2% | 2% | x | 2% |
| UNC student killed | 1% | x | 3% | 3% | 1% | x |
| Domestic terrorism | 1% | 2% | x | x | 1% | x |
| Iraq events | x | 2% | x | x | x | x |
| War on terror | x | 2% | x | x | x | x |
| Global warming | x | 2% | x | x | x | x |
| Immigration | x | 1% | x | x | 3% | x |
| 6 dead in Memphis | x | x | 3% | x | x | x |
| Missile attack/Somalia | x | x | 3% | x | x | x |
| Favre retires | x | x | x | 1% | x | 1% |
| Afghanistan | x | x | x | 1% | x | 6% |
| China | x | x | x | x | <1% | x |
| Health care debate | x | x | x | x | x | 1% |
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism
