Analysis: Our Studies, Commentaries and Backgrounders

This section, Analysis, is the complete archive of all the research studies, commentaries, background reports, articles, or speeches PEJ has published. They are listed below in chronological order, but our archive is also searchable. Use the menus on the left to filter the contents and find exactly what you want.
  • FNC trails far behind rivals in Murdoch coverage

    The scandal rocking Rupert Murdoch’s media empire—as well as the highest circles of British politics and law enforcement—has been a major story in the U.S. news media for two weeks. But how has Murdoch’s cable news channel here covered the story? A PEJ examination has some answers.
  • The Wall Street Journal under Rupert Murdoch

    Although the scandal enveloping Rupert Murdoch’s media empire has focused on his British properties, it has also put News Corp’s. U.S. outlets under a brighter spotlight—particularly the prestigious Wall Street Journal he acquired by purchasing Dow Jones for $5 billion in 2007.

  • What Does Murdoch Own in the U.S.?

    The recent scandal involving Rupert Murdoch’s news operations in the United Kingdom, and news of new FBI investigation in the U.S., raises questions about whether or not the controversy will spread to his American holdings. What media properties does Murdoch own in America? PEJ offers details.
  • The New Landscape of Non-Profit News Sites

    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.
  • Navigating News Online

    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.
  • How the Media Have Covered bin Laden’s Death: Special Report

    Contrary to what happens with most major national news events, the discussion of the death of Osama bin Laden in the mainstream and new media has not shifted quickly to political winners and losers. An analysis of hundreds of thousands of stories and millions of social media postings finds the discussion has remained focused on the facts of what happened. A new PEJ study has the details.
  • Islam Was No. 1 Topic in 2010: Religion in the News

    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.
  • Parsing Election Day Media - How the Midterms Message Varied by Platform

    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?
  • When Technology Makes Headlines

    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.
  • A New Phase in Our Digital Lives

    The latest biennial survey on news consumption from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press reveals signs of a new era in the acquisition and consumption of news—and there is reason to expect the shift will accelerate. What is the nature of this new era, and why is it happening? A commentary on the findings by PEJ Director Tom Rosenstiel.