Campaign Coverage Index

PEJ's WEEKLy Content Analysis OF Election 2008

In January 2008, the Project created the Campaign Coverage Index (CCI), a running content analysis of media coverage, that measured both the nature of the campaign narrative and the amount of coverage devoted to each candidate. The CCI was published each week from January 15 through November 4.

January 2008

Campaign Coverage Index, January 6 - 11, 2008: Clinton is the Big Winner Last Week in the Race for Coverage

PEJ Talk Show Index, January 6 - 11, 2008: Top Conservative Talkers Rap Huckabee and McCain

Campaign Coverage Index, January 14 - 20, 2008: Clinton and Obama Lead Pack Again in Tight Battle for Media Attention

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, January 21 - 27, 2008: Clinton Finishes Third in Battle for Campaign Coverage (But it’s Bill!!!)

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, Jan. 28 - Feb. 3, 2008: McCain Wins the Coverage Battle as Media Move to Anoint Him

February 2008

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, February 4 - 10, 2008: McCain, Clinton, and Obama in Coverage Derby Photo Finish

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, February 11 - 17, 2008: Media Narrative Vaults Obama into Frontrunner Slot

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, February 18 - 24, 2008: Clinton Battles the Obama Boom, McCain Battles the Times

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, February 25 - March 2, 2008: Press Takes a Harder Look at Obama—and Itself

March 2008

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, March 3 - 9, 2008: Media Admire Clinton’s Resilience, Question Obama’s Toughness

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, March 10 - 16, 2008: Democrats’ Media Narrative Roiled By Racial Tensions

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, March 17 - 23, 2007: The Pastor, The Candidate, And The Speech Lead The News

PEJ Talk Show Index, March 17 - 23, 2008: Talk Hosts Divided on Obama’s Big Speech

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, March 24 - 30, 2008: Clinton’s Bosnia Gaffe Makes Her Top Newsmaker

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, March 31- April 6, 2008: Clinton Punches, Obama Bowls, and McCain Reminisces

April 2008

PEJ Talk Show Index, March 31- April 6, 2008: Talkers in Trouble for Trashing the Candidates

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, April 7 - 13, 2008: McCain Gets Least Coverage But Best Media Narrative

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, April 14 - 20, 2008: Obama and Clinton Debate the Debate

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, April 21 - 27, 2008: Post-Pennsylvania Spin Drowns Out McCain

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, April 28 - May 4, 2008: The Pastor’s Press Tour is the Week’s Big Newsmaker

May 2008

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, May 5 - 11, 2008: The Media Hear The Fat Lady Humming

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, May 12 - 18, 2008: Clinton Wins W. Virginia, Obama Wins the Headlines

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, May 19 - 25, 2008: While Democrats Battle on, McCain Makes News

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, May 26 - June 1, 2008: Iraq Roars Back as a Campaign Issue

June 2008

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, June 2 - 8, 2008: Clinton Drives the Media Narrative the Week Obama Wins

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, June 9 - 15, 2008: Obama Makes More News Than McCain, But It’s Not All Good

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, June 16 - 22, 2008: The Spouse and the President Get Their Media Close-up

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, June 23 - 29, 2008: Democrats and Unity Drive the Campaign Narrative

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, June 30 - July 6, 2008: Both Campaigns Get the Summertime Blues

July 2008

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, July 7 - 13, 2008: Gaffes Drove the Campaign Narrative Last Week

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, July 14 - 20, 2008: War Takes Center Stage as Obama Moves Overseas

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, July 21 - 27, 2008: Amid Charges of Bias, the Media Swarm on Obama Overseas

Campaign Coverage Index, July 28-August 3, 2008: Extra! Extra! McCain Makes as Much News as Obama

August 2008

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, August 4 - 10, 2008: Once Again, It’s Obama Versus Clinton

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, August 11 - 17, 2008: War in Georgia is Bigger News than the Campaign

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, August 18 - 24, 2008: It’s All Veepstakes All the Time

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, August 25 - 31, 2008: Denver and Palin Fuel Biggest Campaign Week Yet

September 2008

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, September 1 - 7, 2008: The Palin Phenomenon Drives Campaign Coverage

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, September 8 - 14, 2008: Northern Exposure Still Dominates the News

Campaign Coverage Index, September 15 - 21, 2008: The Latest Campaign Narrative—‘It’s The Economy, Stupid’

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, September 22 - 28, 2008: Media Narrative Whipsaws Between Bailout, Debate

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, September 29 - October 5, 2008: Veep Debate, Palin Rule Campaign News

October 2008

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, October 6-12, 2008: Economy Shrinks, Tactics Grow, in Media Narrative

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, October 13 - 19, 2008: A Plumber (Sort of) Gets His 15 Minutes

PEJ Campaign Coverage Index, October 20 - 26, 2008: As the Candidates Head Down the Stretch, Horse Race Dominates

Campaign Coverage Index, Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2008: Near Campaign's End, It's All About Numbers