News Interest vs. News Coverage 2008 Campaign 31 Economy 28
Three-in-ten Americans (31%) followed campaign news very closely and an equal number called the race their most closely followed news story of the week. Democrats were slightly more likely than Republicans to have followed campaign news very closely (39%-31%). Overall interest in campaign news is down somewhat from February and early March. The percentage of Americans following the campaign very closely had been at or near 40% since early February and has started to slip over the past two weeks.
Despite receiving a significantly smaller share of media coverage, the condition of the U.S. economy is of at least as much interest to the American public. More than four-in-ten followed news about the condition of the U.S. economy very closely and 28% listed economic news as their most closely followed story. Republicans and Democrats followed the news in equal numbers, while those earning under $30,000 a year were less likely than higher earners to have followed the story very closely.
News Interest vs. News Coverage  | March 24:30  | 2008 Campaign 31  | 34  | Economy 28  | Situation in Iraq  | 13  | 12  | NCAA Tourney  | Airline Safety  | Detroit Mayor  | Interest: percent who followed this story most closely  | Coverage: percent of news coverage devoted to story 