News Interest vs News Coverage November 17 23
When asked which news story they followed most closely last week, 27% listed general economic conditions making it the public’s top news interest of the week. Some 15% listed the stock market as their most closely followed story, and 14% pointed to the potential bailout for the car companies.
While news about the incoming Obama administration was the most heavily covered story last week, according to the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ), the national media focused heavily on the economy as well. The media devoted 15% of its overall coverage to the nation’s financial crisis and an equal amount to news about the U.S. auto industry. In addition, 2% of the national newshole focused exclusively on major ups and downs in the U.S. stock market.
In other news, a third of Americans (32%) followed the situation in Iraq very closely last week, but only 5% listed this as their most closely followed story of the week. Despite significant developments, namely the approval of a formal agreement dictating the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the region by 2011, the national news media devoted 2% of its overall coverage to events in Iraq, according to PEJ.
One-in-five Americans (19%) paid very close attention to news about Somali pirates hijacking a Saudi Arabian supertanker. The media devoted 3% of its overall coverage to this story.
News Interest vs News Coverage  | November 17 23  | Economy 27  | 15  | Obama transition 25  | 23  | Stock market 15  | Auto Industry 14  | 15  | Situation in Iraq  | Somali Pirates  | Interest: percent who followed this story most closely  | Coverage: percent of news coverage devoted to story 