News Interest February vs News Coverage
In a week filled with talk of policy proposals aimed at lifting the nation’s economy from crisis, the public focused most closely on President Obama signing the economic stimulus legislation into law. For more than a third (35%) of the public, the stimulus was the story they followed more closely than any other news last week. In terms of news coverage, the stimulus dropped from 28% of the newshole two weeks ago – when lawmakers were negotiating a compromise package – to 9% of total news last week, according to PEJ.
News about action on the stimulus was comparable to coverage of Obama’s plan to help homeowners facing foreclosure, which accounted for 10% of the newshole last week. The housing proposal, estimated to cost as much as $275 billion, attracted the very close attention of 31% of the public. For one-in-ten Americans, this was the story they followed most closely last week.
Reports that General Motors and Chrysler are seeking billions of dollars in new emergency loans from the government was the top story of the week for 8% of the public. Reports about the automakers’ restructuring troubles and their request for billions in loans accounted for 6% of the newshole. Meanwhile, debate in Washington over how to use the remaining funds approved last fall for securing the nation’s financial sector attracted less public interest than the other economic policy news. One-in-four (25%) followed debate over the financial bailout funds very closely and 6% of the public followed this story more closely than any other last week.
News Interest February vs News Coverage  | February 16-22  | 35  | Stimulus passage  | 11  | Stock drop  | 10  | Mortgage plan  | 10  | 8  | Auto industry  | 6  | TARP funds  | Afghanistan  | Interest: percent who named story as most closely followed  | Coverage: percent of news coverage devoted to story 