News Interest % following very closely
News about the condition of the U.S. economy and the government spending cuts that began taking effect March 1 were the public’s two top stories last week. Overall, 35% said they followed economic news very closely; 31% followed news about the spending cuts very closely. Republicans and Democrats were about equally likely to follow news about the automatic federal spending cuts.
The public paid far less attention to Catholic cardinals meeting in Rome to select a new pope (14% very closely) and reports about the U.S. stock market (14% very closely). And just 10% paid very close attention to the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
News Interest  | % following very closely  | U.S. economy  | 35  | Gov'tspending cuts  | 31  | Pope selection  | Stock market  | 14  | Hugo Chavez death  | 10  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER March 7-10, 2013, 