Numbers: Our Data Library

The video reports from embedded TV correspondents during the Iraq war tended to focus on troops moving and weapons being fired in engagements.

Stories from embedded reporters in the early days of the Iraq war were about a range of topics, but preparation and military action stood out. The results and aftermath of engagement were less common.

Most Americans had heard little or nothing about the efforts of the FCC to substantially relax the ownership rules of media in early 2003.

The chart shows the percentage of stations in each quality grade improving in "key" demographics.

From 1998 to 2002, more of the stations receiving the highest grades for quality according to criteria developed by local news professionals enjoyed rising ratings trends than those with lower grades.

The chart shows the percentage of stations whose share of audience was growing, classified by quality grade. Those earning the highest grades fared best.

Local news directors in 2002 reported that health, crime and education were the three most prevalent "beats" to which they had reporters assigned on a regular basis, as opposed to general assignment reporters who covered everything.

The news agenda on local TV news was not much changed in 2002 by the events of September 11th.

Local TV news directors in a 2002 survey said the biggest obstacle they had to improving quality was insufficient staff.

In the first four months of 2002, the shock of the terror attacks of September 11th began to taper off, and network evening news returned to a news diet similar to that before the crisis.