Measuring News Interest Week of February 26 Percent who followed this story very closely Percent who named story as their most closely followed
Overall, the stock market was in the top tier of news stories, both in terms of public interest and news coverage during the week of Feb. 26. In a week crowded with news, the situation in Iraq maintained the top spot, as 37% of the public followed this story very closely and 30% listed it as the story they followed most closely. News about Iraq, both the policy debate and events on the ground, made up 11% of the newshole for the week. The public also paid very close attention to the deadly tornadoes in the South. Fully one-third followed this story very closely and 20% listed it as their top story. News coverage of the tornadoes, which occurred late in the week, made up 6% of the newshole.
Interest in the Anna Nicole Smith saga remained about the same last week, in spite of the fact that media coverage of the story dropped off significantly. Some 14% of the public followed the Smith story very closely (basically unchanged from 13% the previous week), and 13% listed Smith’s death when asked which story they had followed most closely. As has been the case since the story broke, younger women remain the most riveted by Smith’s story. Women under age 50 were nearly three times more likely than men in that same age group to say Smith’s death was the story they followed most closely last week (23% vs. 8%, respectively).
Other top stories of the week included the 2008 presidential campaign and the terrorist bombing in Afghanistan outside a base where Vice President Dick Cheney was staying. The campaign continues to attract more attention than the 2004 presidential contest did in its early stages. The Afghanistan bombing was followed very closely by 19% of the public; 3% said this was the story they followed most closely. News coverage of this, which went beyond the bombing to include the broader situation in Afghanistan, was substantial (4% of the newshole).
Measuring News Interest  | Week of February 26  | 37  | Iraq  | 30  | 33  | Tornadoes  | 20)  | 14  | Anna Nicole Smith  | 13  | 21 9  | Stock Market Drop  | 19  | 2008 Campaign  | 9  | 19  | Afghan Bombing  | 3  | Percent who followed this story very closely  | Percent who named story as their most closely followed 