report | Mar 24, 2011

In Social Media it’s All About Japan

The aftermath of the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami, including fears about leaking radiation, commanded the attention of bloggers, Twitter users and YouTube viewers last week—eclipsing every other news event. And each of those platforms performed a different function.

report | Mar 17, 2011

Twitter Responds to the Japanese Disaster

For many people in Japan and around the world, Twitter was a vital communication tool in the hours following the devastating March 11 earthquake, the seventh most powerful in recorded history. And bloggers got an early jump on the presidential campaign.

report | Mar 10, 2011

This Time, Bloggers Battle over the GOP Budget

While the violence in Libya was one of the top stories on Twitter, bloggers homed in on domestic policy as they debated the potential impact of proposed Republican budget cuts and the prospects of a government shutdown. On YouTube, three videos that brought home the devastation of the earthquake in New Zealand garnered millions of views.

report | Mar 3, 2011

Bloggers Take Sides in the Wisconsin Standoff

Domestic and foreign conflicts—from Madison to Tripoli—generated plenty of attention in social media last week, with users opining and relaying breaking news. On YouTube, scenes of Mideast unrest once again made the roster of most popular videos.

report | Feb 24, 2011

Bloggers Debate the Budget Deficit and Egypt’s Future

Two very different issues led the conversation on the blogosphere last week: the record U.S. deficit and the post-Mubarak transformation in Egypt. On Twitter, the No. 1 topic was self-referential— a list of influential English people who use Twitter.

report | Feb 17, 2011

Social Media Ponder the Patriot Act

In social media, YouTube viewers remained fixated on the dramatic events that deposed the 30-year leader of Egypt. But on both blogs and Twitter, the attention turned elsewhere—to a domestic issue that many saw as a civil liberties litmus test.

report | Feb 10, 2011

Egypt Takes Center Stage on Blogs

Last week, bloggers tackled the situation in Egypt as both reporter and commentator. More were critical of Obama’s actions but the discussion moved far beyond the current president. And two of the most-viewed videos on YouTube featured scenes of the protests in the streets of Cairo.

report | Feb 3, 2011

Bloggers Focus on a Supreme Court Justice and Social Security

The top subjects for bloggers last week involved Washington-centric stories, but not the one that galvanized much of the mainstream media. The lead subject on Twitter was about online news judgment. And on YouTube, an eight-month-old clip featuring remarks by talk host Glenn Beck became the subject of a debate about inflammatory speech.

report | Jan 27, 2011

In the Blogosphere, Calls for Bipartisanship and Confrontation

Senator John McCain’s support for President Obama’s speech at the Arizona memorial and the dawn of a new GOP-led House of Representatives focused bloggers’ attention last week. On Twitter, stories about Apple’s financial health drew the most interest. And on YouTube, the dramatic floods in Australia revealed the impact of the tragedy to the world.

report | Jan 20, 2011

The Tucson Tragedy Dominates on Blogs

The online conversation last week focused heavily on the aftermath of the Arizona shooting spree that left six dead and 13 wounded. The most prominent element debated, according to a separate PEJ report released earlier this week, was the level of vitriol in political rhetoric today.

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