The problem with the economic crisis as a news story for some media is that it’s impossible to stand a reporter in front of it and take a picture or shoot video. Four out of five media agreed that it was much more fun to focus on pirates on the high seas than it was to stick with the economy.
But according to the latest Project for Excellence in Journalism report for the week of 4/6/09-4/12/09, newspapers gave the economy a 24%-6% edge over the pirates, enough to squeal out a narrow 15%-14% win on the total coverage chart.
Obama’s visit to G20 and Europe was also heavy in the mix, and came in second to the pirates on the CATV and radio charts. Click the headline for full results.
| Story | Overall | Newspaper | Online | Net.TV | CATV | Radio |
| Economic crisis | 15% | 24% | 12% | 13% | 11% | 11% |
| Pirates of Somalia | 14% | 6% | 14% | 15% | 19% | 15% |
| G20 Summit/Europe trip | 8% | 5% | 8% | 3% | 12% | 12% |
| Italy earthquake | 6% | 3% | 12% | 9% | 2% | 5% |
| North Korea nukes | 4% | 5% | x | x | 4% | 6% |
| Obama administration | 3% | 3% | x | x | 6% | 4% |
| Gates military budget | 2% | 4% | 3% | 4% | x | x |
| Cyberspace issues | 2% | 4% | 3% | x | x | x |
| Education system | 2% | x | 6% | x | x | x |
| Immigration | 2% | 4% | x | x | 3% | x |
| Congressional corruption | x | 3% | x | x | x | x |
| Adenhart death | x | x | 4% | x | x | x |
| Events in Iraq | x | x | 3% | x | x | x |
| Sandra Cantu found dead | x | x | 2% | 3% | x | x |
| Binghamton hostage situation | x | x | x | 4% | x | x |
| NCAA tournament | x | x | x | 3% | x | 2% |
| Obama Iraq visit | x | x | x | 2% | 2% | x |
| TX, OK wildfires | x | x | x | 2% | x | x |
| Domestic terrorism | x | x | x | x | 5% | 3% |
| Obama supplemental war budget | x | x | x | x | 2% | x |
| US auto industry | x | x | x | x | x | 4% |
| Presidential election results | x | x | x | x | x | 2% |
Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism
