Analysis: Our studies

This section, Studies, contains PEJ's major empirical research studies, including our annual reports on the state of journalism divided into searchable subchapters. They are listed below in chronological order. Or you can use the menus on the left to filter our entire archive and find exactly what you want.
  • How the Media Have Handled Palin’s Religious Faith

    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?
  • McCain vs. Obama on the Web

    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.
  • The Media's Olympics

    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?
  • Tracking the Economic Slowdown

    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?
  • Amid Layoffs and Cutbacks, Communication Grads Find Jobs

    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.
  • The Changing Newsroom

    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:
  • Running on Faith

    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.
  • Two campaign speeches, one JFK moment?

    Through the 2008 primary election season, two candidates—Democratic Senator Barack Obama and Republican former governor Mitt Romney—received more media attention about their faith than any of the other candidates combined.

    For both, the attention raised concerns about their relig ...
  • Character and the Primaries of 2008

    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.
  • Journalism, Satire or Just Laughs? "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," Examined

    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.