http://www.journalism.org/research_and_analysis/Studies Journalism.org's Studies Feed en-US http://www.journalism.org/node/28321 After the furor over its decision to defund Planned Parenthood, the Susan G. Komen foundation reversed course and a key official resigned. http://www.journalism.org/node/27934 For weeks Newt Gingrich has rivaled Mitt Romney in the amount of coverage and often bested him in tone, even as he faltered in the polls. That changed last week. The media portrayal of the former House Speaker took a major turn after he failed to stop Romney in Florida and Nevada. The details of the last week are here. http://www.journalism.org/node/27799 What stories and which people generated the most news coverage in 2011? PEJ's annual Year in the News report offers answers. The Year in News 2011 Interactive allows users to explore the data for themselves. http://www.journalism.org/node/27619 A new PEJ study of the Twitter campaign conversation using computer technology reveals how the White House hopefuls fared, examines differences between the political discussions on Twitter and blogs, and updates the tone of the candidates’ news narratives. http://www.journalism.org/node/27311 Twitter has been embraced by news organizations today, but is used in limited ways, according to a new study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism and The George Washington University. http://www.journalism.org/node/27273 A new report documents how the swirl of sexual harassment allegations contributed to surprise frontrunner Herman Cain’s most difficult week of news coverage to date. http://www.journalism.org/node/27060 The most detailed study to date probes who tablet users are, how they get news and how willing they are to pay for it. See the report, infographic or slideshow. http://www.journalism.org/node/26958 Which candidate has fared best in the news media in the first five months of the race for president?   http://www.journalism.org/node/26729 How do people get news and information about the community where they live? Traditional research has suggested that Americans watch local TV news more than any other local information source. But a new report by the PEJ and the Pew Internet and American Life Project, in association with the Knight Foundation offers a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the ecosystem of community information. http://www.journalism.org/node/25876 As traditional newsrooms are shrinking, a trend is emerging, the non-profit newsroom. A new PEJ study reveals that a large number of these non-profit sites are offering news reporting that is clearly ideological or partisan in nature. The survey also looks at the characteristic of more balanced versus more ideological sites. Read the full report for more on who these new players are, what the nature of their news coverage is, and how these operations are changing the ecosystem of news. http://www.journalism.org/node/25008 The future of the journalism relies heavily on understanding the ways people consume news online. But mastering that information is challenging. Behavior is changing quickly, and the metrics can be elusive and even contradictory. In a new study, PEJ examines Nielsen data from the top 25 most popular news sites to offer insights about how people get to news sites; what they do once there and where they go when they leave. http://www.journalism.org/node/24076 There was a changing of the guard in religion coverage in 2010 as Islam supplanted the Catholic Church as the primary religious newsmaker. A new report by PEJ and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life examines the events and controversies that drove the coverage and conversation in mainstream and social media. http://www.journalism.org/node/22791 In today’s news landscape, both mainstream and new media sources shape the narrative. A new PEJ study finds that no single unified message reverberated throughout the media universe in the wake of the November 2 voting and what one learned depended largely on where one got the news.  How did the post election-day narrative differ from the front pages to the television studies and from bloggers to Twitterers? http://www.journalism.org/node/22197 The mainstream media offer the American public a divided view of how information technology influences society, according to a new PEJ study. Messages such as technology making life easier often vie with concerns about privacy and safety. How do the media portray technology? Which companies get the most coverage? Do social media and blogs treat the subject differently than traditional media? A year-long study of technology coverage answers these and other questions. http://www.journalism.org/node/21828 The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico proved to be a complex, technical and long-running saga that taxed the media’s resources and attention span. A new PEJ study highlights eight key points in the oil spill coverage. And a new quiz tests how much you know about media coverage of the disaster. http://www.journalism.org/node/21487 As the media landscape shifts, where can people turn for coverage of local news subjects, particularly government and public affairs? A new study conducted by a team of Michigan State University researchers, examines 175 communities and finds the majority of news about local government still comes from newspapers. But in many cases it is weeklies not dailies providing the most coverage. PEJ offers a summary of their findings. http://www.journalism.org/node/21403 The fallout from the firing of Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod and the one-year anniversary of the controversial arrest of African American Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., have put race back in the news. How much coverage do African Americans receive? What role did race play in coverage of the Obama Administration? A new study examining media coverage of African Americans in the first year of the Obama presidency offers answers. http://www.journalism.org/node/20966 The drive for health care reform legislation proved to be the most passionate and polarizing policy fight of Barack Obama’s first year in office, with the public and Congress deeply divided over the initiative. And much of that battle played out through a changing media universe. A new PEJ study, examining 10 months of health care stories, identifies some of the key elements of that coverage. http://www.journalism.org/node/20879 The Catholic clergy sexual abuse scandal is making headlines again at a level not seen since 2002, according to a new study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Find out more about the scandal’s resurgence in Europe, coverage in the U.S. media and intense media scrutiny on the pope himself. http://www.journalism.org/node/20621 The stories and issues that gain traction in social media differ substantially from those that lead in the mainstream press. But they also differ greatly from each other. Across a year-long study of blogs, Twitter and YouTube, the three platforms shared the same top story just once. What are the stories and issues that dominate in theses platforms? And what media outlets tend to provide those stories? A new year-long study by report offers answers. http://www.journalism.org/node/20201 The race for Ted Kennedy’s Massachusetts Senate seat began largely drama-free and little-covered and ended as the most surprising and intensely-covered political story in the country. Which candidate got the most favorable attention? How did coverage change over time? How did the local Boston papers differ in their reporting? A new study examines newspaper coverage of the race. http://www.journalism.org/node/20072 What do today’s newspaper and broadcast news executives think about the economics of their industry? Are they optimistic for the future? A new survey by the Project for Excellence in Journalism in association with the American Society of News Editors and the Radio Television Digital News Association offers answers. http://www.journalism.org/node/19537 An overwhelming majority of Americans get their news from multiple news platforms. Which media sectors do people in the U.S rely on most? How has the internet and mobile technology changed the way people consume news? A joint PEJ-Pew Internet survey examines how internet and cell phone users have transformed news into a social experience. http://www.journalism.org/node/18897 A new PEJ study investigates where news comes from in today’s rapidly changing media landscape. An examination of local media in Baltimore provides insight on how the U.S. media ecosystem works. What role do new media, blogs and specialty news sites play in the news cycle? Who is breaking news? Which reports advanced the story? The study answers these questions and more. http://www.journalism.org/node/18531 Hispanics are already the largest minority group in the United States, 16% of the population,—and that percentage is expected to nearly double by the middle of this century. How is this growing population portrayed in the American news media? A new study produced jointly by PEJ and the Pew Hispanic Center looks at coverage of Hispanics over six months of 2009. http://www.journalism.org/node/17769 The economic downturn has made headlines for months. How has the press covered the gravest financial crisis since the Great Depression? What elements of the economic story make the most news? Who is driving the coverage? PEJ addresses these questions and more in a new report on press coverage of the economy. http://www.journalism.org/node/17130 One common thread between the Obama and Bush administrations is their commitment to advancing the "faith-based" initiative. Yet a new study by PEJ and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that the media created two very different narratives in the early days of the two presidencies. http://www.journalism.org/node/16125 The swine flu story quickly topped the American media agenda when the story broke in late April. How did coverage in other countries compare with the U.S.? Was there any correlation between the number of confirmed cases and quantity or nature of coverage? How did Spanish-language media in the U.S. react? A new report examining press coverage of the outbreak in several countries offers answers. http://www.journalism.org/node/15725 How have the news media covered the early days of the Obama presidency? How does that coverage stack up against that of his predecessors? A new study examines the tone and focus of Obama’s media narrative and how compares it to Bill Clinton’s and George Bush’s. http://www.journalism.org/node/14678 In the past two decades, the makeup of the Washington D.C. press corps has been fundamentally transformed. While the old media have shrunk alarmingly, two new elements have risen up to virtually replace them in number. What are the implications for news consumers in the U.S. and abroad? http://www.journalism.org/node/13770 At a time when health care is a major public policy issue, how have the U.S. media covered the complex subject of health? A new report from PEJ and the Kaiser Family Foundation examines those questions. http://www.journalism.org/node/13789 What was the big religion story of the general election? A new study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism in conjunction with the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life examines how the media covered religious matters. http://www.journalism.org/node/13436 How have different press outlets covered the 2008 general election? Do cable news channels have clear ideological differences? How does broadcast coverage compare to print? A follow up study to PEJ’s Winning the Media Campaign study focuses on the tone of coverage across media sectors and outlets. http://www.journalism.org/node/13307 With fewer than two weeks left before election day, how has the press covered the race for president? How has the tone of McCain’s coverage compared with Obama’s, or Palin’s. A new PEJ study from the conventions through the last debate offers answers. http://www.journalism.org/node/12943 How do the news media cover the issue of immigration? A new PEJ study, produced in collaboration with the Brookings Institution and The University of Southern California Norman Lear Center, reveals the uneven, and episodic nature of the media's approach, based on a close look at the year 2007. http://www.journalism.org/node/12881 Since being named to the GOP ticket by John McCain, Sarah Palin has generated extensive coverage of many aspects of her background, her record in public office and her family life. But what are voters learning from the media about the Alaska Governor’s religious faith and beliefs? http://www.journalism.org/node/12772 The 2008 race for the White House has been dubbed the first Internet election. What presence have the candidates established online? Has one taken more advantage of this new platform? A new PEJ study examines John McCain and Barack Obama’s Web sites to assess the online campaign. http://www.journalism.org/node/12484 The Beijing Olympics gave media an opportunity to report on the athletic competition and life inside the world’s most-populous nation. What—and who—got covered? Were there differences by media? And how did that differ from coverage abroad? http://www.journalism.org/node/12377 The story of the troubled U.S. economy has proven a hard one for journalists to tell. How have the media covered the slump? How timely was the reporting? Did the media influence public attitudes? http://www.journalism.org/node/12256 A new University of Georgia survey of recent degree recipients finds that despite the growing economic ills of the media industry, the job market for 2007 graduates was basically unchanged from a year earlier. And sometimes, the absence of bad news can be good news. http://www.journalism.org/node/11961 Newspapers are suffering historic cuts in staffing and drops in revenue, while technological advances are creating new opportunities. What is disappearing from newspapers and what is being added? A new PEJ report: http://www.journalism.org/node/11863 In the 2008 election season, religion has been a significant factor for candidates in both parties. But even with the Jeremiah Wright controversy, evangelical voter angst, and a Mormon candidate, the media largely avoided dealing directly with the explosive issue of faith. http://www.journalism.org/node/11859 http://www.journalism.org/node/11266 What were the dominant personal narratives conveyed in media coverage of the presidential candidates? Which contenders fared best in the press and how critical was that coverage in influencing public opinion? How did those candidate story lines change over time? A new PEJ study of the 2008 primary season examines these questions. http://www.journalism.org/node/10953 In a survey last year, Americans named Jon Stewart one of the nation’s most admired journalists, despite the Comedy Central host’s insistence that’s not what he does. A new PEJ content analysis of 136 episodes of The Daily Show examines the intersection of comedy and news that is the key to the show’s success. http://www.journalism.org/node/10769 Many people expected Rupert Murdoch to be an activist owner when he bought the Wall Street Journal last year. So what’s happened to the paper under his tenure? A PEJ study of Journal front pages finds that under the new regime, there’s a lot less business and a lot more Beltway. http://www.journalism.org/node/9267 It wasn’t quite “Dewey Defeats Truman,” but after the Jan. 8 Granite State primary confounded many of the pollsters and pundits, one of the key story lines that emerged in coverage of the McCain and Clinton victories was the media’s proclivity to predict and pre-analyze the results. http://www.journalism.org/node/8996 What image of war did journalists—challenged with reporting events from Iraq—portray to the American public in the first 10 months of 2007? What role did violence play in the coverage? Who did reporters rely on for information? A new study of Iraq war coverage addresses these questions. http://www.journalism.org/node/8797 The Iraq policy debate re-emerged as the No. 1 story, replacing the campaign, in the third quarter, according to a detailed analysis of PEJ’s News Coverage Index. But terror fears, a troubled economy, and man-made disasters also grabbed the media’s attention. So too, did the three top newsmakers who ran afoul of the law. http://www.journalism.org/node/8621 In a new PEJ survey, journalists reporting from Iraq say the conditions are the most dangerous they've ever encountered. Ninety percent say most of Baghdad remains too dangerous to visit. Nearly 60% of the news organizations have had at least one Iraqi staff member killed or kidnapped in the last year. The survey is of 111 journalists from 29 news organizations reporting from Iraq.