The ongoing saga of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill continued to dominate media news coverage during the week of 7/5-11/10, according to the latest report from the Project for Excellence in Journalism. It took 15% of available time and space; not a tremendous percentage for a #1 story, but more than double what any other story received.
The ongoing tales of the 2010 elections and the economic crisis picked up 7% each, and the ongoing Afghanistan saga and the recently-breaking Russian spy scandal weighed in with 6% each.
Despite its clear hold on the #1 slot, the oil spill was #1 in only three of the five media sectors PEJ monitors. Newspapers went with the elections, and radio highlighted the economy.
| Story | Overall | Newspaper | Online | NetTV | CATV | Radio |
| Oil spill | 15% | 8% | 12% | 18% | 25% | 10% |
| 2010 elections | 7% | 13% | 7% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Economic crisis | 7% | 9% | 5% | 3% | 6% | 12% |
| Russian spy scandal | 6% | 4% | 11% | 8% | 4% | x |
| Afghanistan | 6% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 7% | 7% |
| Immigration debate | 4% | 4% | x | 2% | 9% | 7% |
| East Coast heat wave | 4% | x | 3% | 14% | x | x |
| Israel-Palestine | 4% | 3% | 7% | 3% | x | x |
| LeBron James | 3% | x | 3% | 7% | x | 4% |
| Obama administration | 2% | 3% | x | x | 3% | 6% |
| China | x | 3% | x | x | x | x |
| Haiti earthquake | x | 3% | x | x | x | x |
| Grim Sleeper | x | x | 2% | x | x | x |
| Iran | x | x | 2% | x | x | x |
| Missing persons | x | x | x | 3% | x | x |
| Voter intimidation | x | x | x | x | 7% | 3% |
| Leadership future/GOP | x | x | x | x | 4% | x |
| Health care debate | x | x | x | x | 3% | x |
| 4th of July events | x | x | x | x | x | 4% |
| War on Terror | x | x | x | x | x | 3% |
| Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism | ||||||
