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No. 1 - Rank of the recent D.C. and Mid Atlantic “Snowpocalypse” among most covered winter storms The two major snowstorms that swept the Mid-Atlantic—stopping air and interstate travel and shuttering the federal government—filled 11% the newshole from February 8-14, 2010. The unprecedented snowfall in Washington D.C. and its impact on the government helped make it the biggest week for winter weather events since PEJ began tracking media coverage in January 2007. It also marks the only time a winter weather event was a No. 1 story in a week. The next most covered snowstorm, occurring almost exactly three years earlier, swept the Midwest and Northeast regions of the country. In addition to breaking several snowfall records in locales ranging from Chicago to Vermont, the storm caused the infamous nine-hour tarmac wait of a JetBlue flight headed to Cancun from JFK airport in New York. Coverage filled 7.2% of the newshole from February 11-16, 2007. There were three other wintry storms that generated substantial weekly coverage in 2007. The ice storms that took a significant toll on California crops and canceled flights from Texas to Michigan filled 6.2% of the newshole from January 14-19 and ranks as the third-biggest winter storm story. Eleven months later, rare but severe ice storms in the Plain states caused many traffic related deaths and the largest power outage in Oklahoma history. That weather moved its way up to the Northeast and filled 5.7% of the newshole from December 9-14, making it the No. 4 winter event. And a pair of storms, one on the Northwest and one on the Northeast, caused major damage on both coasts, accounting for 3.7% of the newshole from December 2-7 in the No. 6 spot. Another winter weather event that occurred earlier this year—the severe cold-snap that brought record low temperatures to 35 states—filled 4.3% of the newshole from January 4-10 and was the fifth-biggest winter storm story. A desert snowfall in Las Vegas was No. 7, at 3.6% of the newshole the week of December 15-21, 2008. And a storm that began with mudslide-causing rain in California later dumped significant snow in the Midwest and Northeast, finished in the No. 8 spot, also at 3.6%, the week of December 7-13, 2009. Tricia Sartor of PEJ
#2 - Senator Roland Burris’ rank among newsmaking legislators in 2009 The August 25 death of Senator Edward Kennedy was a major story, not only because of his more than four decades in Congress and his status in a pre-eminent political dynasty. Kennedy’s passing also came as Congressional Democrats worked on health care reform legislation, an issue he referred to as the cause of his life. In 2009, there were 314 stories with Kennedy as a lead newsmaker, the most for any lawmaker on Capitol Hill last year. (To register as a lead newsmaker, a figure must appear in at least 50% of a story.) Indeed, the unresolved battle over health care reform was a common thread for many of the legislators in the headlines. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (No. 5 with 110 stories as lead newsmaker) was a central player in the Obama Administration’s push for new legislation. California Representative Joe Wilson, a largely unknown figure, became a household name (No. 8 with 59 stories) when he yelled “You lie!” during Barack Obama’s September 9 health care speech before Congress. Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Max Baucus, a chief architect of the Senate’s health care bill, was No. 10 at 55 stories. Some of the top newsmakers were involved in other kinds of controversies. Illinois Senator Roland Burris (No. 2 at 231 stories) came under scrutiny following allegations of pay-for play politics in his appointment to Barack Obama’s vacant senate seat by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Former comedian Al Franken made news (No. 6 with 84 stories) by winning a Minnesota Senate election against Norm Coleman that included an eight-month long recount. Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter (No. 4 with 119 stories) created a political stir when he switched from the GOP to the Democratic Party in April 2009. And Chris Dodd (No 9 with 56 stories) found himself in the spotlight for his involvement in a stimulus loophole that allowed for the big AIG bonuses. (Early in 2010, Dodd made more news by announcing his decision not to seek re-election.) Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (No. 3 with 186 stories) was a key figure in the health care battle, but also attracted considerable coverage when CIA memos revealed in May 2009 that she had been briefed on torture tactics in 2002. And 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who became something of a spokesman for his party on a variety of issues, finished in the No. 7 spot with 74 stories. Tricia Sartor and Dana Page of PEJ
31% - Percentage of stories prominently featuring Obama that focused on the economic crisis or health care debate Although President Barack Obama had an ambitious agenda during his first year in office, two key policy issues stood out in the media—his handling of the economic crisis and health care reform. From January 21, 2009–January 20, 2010, Obama was a lead newsmaker (meaning that at least 50% of the story was about him) in 1202 stories about the economic crisis and 890 health care reform stories, according to PEJ’s News Coverage Index. Combined, these two policy issues accounted for 31% of all the stories in which the President was a dominant figure. The war in Afghanistan and attempts to combat domestic terrorism were the next most-prominent topics involving President Obama. His plan to shift military focus from Iraq to Afghanistan generated 489 stories with him as a newsmaker. There were 327 stories about domestic terrorism and prevention and these were overwhelmingly centered on Obama’s plan to close the detention camp at the Guantanamo Bay facility. But not all stories about the new president were policy-oriented. Stories about the Obama family, his top appointments, evaluations of his leadership and other references to his governing style generated 1200 of the stories in which the President was a main figure. Not surprisingly, attention to the new president’s administration was the second-biggest storyline in which the president was a lead newsmaker. Other stories prominently featuring Obama include his trip to Europe and the G-20 summit in April 2009 (232); his June 4 speech in Cairo to the Muslim world (183); diplomacy and involvement with Iran (180); winning the Nobel Peace Prize (111) and the controversy that followed the arrest of Professor Henry Louis Gates (96). Tricia Sartor and Dana Page of PEJ How News HappensA new PEJ study investigates where news comes from in today’s rapidly changing media landscape. An examination of local media in Baltimore provides insight on how the U.S. media ecosystem works. What role do new media, blogs and specialty news sites play in the news cycle? Who is breaking news? Which reports advanced the story? The study answers these questions and more.
1.5% - Percentage of overall coverage devoted to the environment in 2009 The period from November 30-December 6, 2009, produced one of the largest weeks of environmental coverage since PEJ began tracking it in January 2007. And it wasn’t that big a number. The topic accounted for 2.5% of the newshole, with attention focused on the UN Climate Summit and emails from the research center that some contended pointed to possible manipulation of climate data and generated an outcry from global warming skeptics. Some of last week’s coverage came from conservative talk hosts who argued that the mainstream press was not paying enough attention to the “Climate-gate” story, as the email episode was dubbed to suggest something large and nefarious. But while coverage of “Climate-gate” began to increase late in the week, news about the environment has traditionally had a tough time breaking into the headlines. Thus far in 2009, only 1.5% of the coverage studied has been about environmental issues. To provide perspective, the subject has generated less attention than celebrities (1.9%) and sports (1.8%). And this year’s coverage represents a slight decrease from both 2008 and 2007, when the subject accounted for 1.7% of the overall newshole. That slight drop in coverage comes despite the fact that the single biggest week of environmental coverage (5.4% of the newshole) since the NCI began in January 2007 occurred from May 18-24, 2009, when President Obama announced new emission standards for cars. The next biggest spikes in coverage in the past three years included the week of April 1-6, 2007, (5.3% of the newshole) when the Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency had the authority to regulate car emissions, and the week of January 28-February 2, 2007, when a UN climate report found that humans were very likely the cause of climate change (4.9%). Still, it’s worth noting that in no single week, has the environment generated the level of attention (6.4% of newshole) that the Tiger Woods scandal attracted last week. Tricia Sartor and Dana Page of PEJ Hispanics in the NewsHispanics are already the largest minority group in the United States, 16% of the population,—and that percentage is expected to nearly double by the middle of this century. How is this growing population portrayed in the American news media? A new study produced jointly by PEJ and the Pew Hispanic Center looks at coverage of Hispanics over six months of 2009.
No. 5 - Sarah Palin’s rank among top newsmakers in 2009 With the intense focus on her recent memoir, former Alaska Governor and GOP vice-presidential hopeful Sarah Palin was a ubiquitous figure in the news. The week of the book release, November 16-22, she was the No. 2 newsmaker, appearing as a lead newsmaker in 78 stories examined in PEJ’s News Coverage Index. (To be designated a lead newsmaker, a figure must appear in at least 50% of a story.) Only President Obama, a lead newsmaker in 122 stories, generated more coverage that week. The book publicity help cement Palin’s status as a magnet for media coverage. Indeed, so far in 2009 she has been the year’s No. 5 newsmaker (362 stories), trailing only Obama (6775), the late pop legend Michael Jackson (721); the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (552); and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (476). An examination of Palin-related news this year reveals that she has never completely faded from the headlines. But much of her coverage has been fueled primarily by three major events, including the media-saturated book tour that helped make her a lead newsmaker in 98 stories in the first three weeks of November. Palin also generated major attention with her July 3 announcement that she was resigning as Alaska’s governor effective July 26—18 months before the completion of her first term. Much of the coverage of that story reflected surprise at the news mixed in with considerable speculation about her reasons for stepping down. That month, Palin was a lead newsmaker in 125 stories. Another spike in coverage occurred in June, when Palin engaged in a battle with late night host David Letterman after he joked that one of her daughters was impregnated by New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez on his June 8 show. Palin called his comments “sexually perverted,” saying they encouraged “acceptance of abuse of younger women.” The fallout over the saga, which ended shortly after Letterman apologized on June 15, made Palin a lead newsmaker in 53 stories that month. Tricia Sartor and Dana Page of PEJ
13 to 1—Ratio of Lou Dobbs’ coverage of Immigration in 2009 compared to his CNN colleagues Veteran CNN anchor Lou Dobbs abruptly resigned on November 11. His opinion-oriented approach to news had become jarringly at odds with the network’s lineup of more ideologically neutral hosts. So what will be missing? What did Dobbs bring to CNN’s news lineup? In addition to his commentary, and his self-styled image as a sort of media crusader, Dobbs had a measurably different agenda in what his show covered in 2009 versus CNN’s other major news-oriented hosts—Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper. Indeed, Blitzer, Brown and Cooper each devoted similar levels of attention to many of these major stories. Dobbs gave more time than other CNN anchors to a number of domestic issues that showcased his brand of fiery nationalism and populism. At the same time, his evening program paid less attention to several foreign policy and national security issues this year—as well as one big celebrity story. During 2009, Dobbs’ No. 1 story was the economic crisis. He devoted 18.4% of the airtime studied by PEJ to the subject compared with 15.1% for the other three hosts. A closer look at these stories suggests themes embedded in his coverage of the economy included outrage at Wall Street, a focus on the unemployment crisis and California’s fiscal emergency. There was a major gap in coverage of the health care debate, which filled 12.4% of Dobbs’ newshole compared with 6.7% for his colleagues—a difference of almost 2-to-1. An examination of this coverage finds it included skepticism about President Obama’s plan to reform health care and some discussion about whether illegal immigrants would be covered under the measure. Dobbs also spent about twice as much time on the swine flu (3.9% to 1.8%), often focusing on the shortage of vaccine and at times expressing concern that the U.S. might ship some of that vaccine to countries abroad. Two other stories that were more important to Dobbs than to other CNN hosts involved a signature issue—immigration and border security. A staunch advocate of muscular enforcement who triggered protests by some Hispanic groups, Dobbs devoted more than 10 times as much coverage to immigration than his CNN colleagues (3.9% to .3%) and about three times more coverage (2.4% to .9%) to a related topic—drug violence in Mexico and its impact on the U.S. Conversely, Dobbs spent less time than other CNN hosts on some major national security and geopolitical stories in 2009. Combined, Dobbs devoted a little more than half the attention his colleagues did (8.1% to 14.2%) to five of these subjects—ranging from Afghanistan to the fight against terrorism. While the three other programs spent 4% of their airtime on the intensifying war in Afghanistan, that topic accounted for 2.4% of Dobbs’s coverage. There was a similar gap in attention to U.S. efforts to combat terrorism (3.0% to 5.0%). And Dobbs devoted only half as much airtime to tensions with Iran (1.7% to 3.4%) and about one-tenth as much coverage to the unrest inside Pakistan (.1% to 1.1%). His coverage of the war in Iraq was marginally larger than that of the other hosts, (.9% to .7%). The just-departed anchor was also distinctly less interested what was clearly the biggest entertainment/tabloid story of the year. While the Michael Jackson saga accounted for 5.5% of the airtime on the other three CNN shows, Dobbs devoted only 2.4% of his coverage to the fallout from the death of the King of Pop. In his final appearance on CNN, Dobbs stressed the populism and activism that differentiated him at the cable network, saying leaders in “media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN to engage in constructive problem solving."
2nd - Rank of the Fort Hood Shootings among most-covered crimes since 2007 On November 5, 2009, army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly opened fire at the Fort Hood Army post, killing 13 people and wounding 30 others. The story filled 15% of the newshole, and was the No. 1 subject for the week of November 2-8, 2009. That makes the Fort Hood shooting the second-biggest U.S. crime story (not including white collar crime or political scandals) for any week since PEJ began the News Coverage Index in January 2007. The crime that generated the most coverage in a single week was the April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech massacre when Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 students and teachers before turning the gun on himself. The worst mass shooting in U.S. history, the Virginia Tech killings filled 51% of the newshole from April 15-20, 2007—making it the biggest single story of that year. The Virginia Tech shooting, however, occurred on a Monday, playing out for longer in the press before the usual weekend break in news. The Fort Hood shooting occurred on a Thursday. In the first two days after the events occurred, when coverage is often most intense, the Virginia Tech story actually filled 56% of the newshole. Fort Hood trailed significantly behind, though it was the next biggest crime story in that initial two-day window, at 34%. A celebrity defendant better known for another criminal case was involved in the third-biggest weekly story. The September 16, 2007 arrest of O.J. Simpson for armed robbery and kidnapping while trying to retrieve sports memorabilia at a Las Vegas hotel filled 13% of the newshole from September 16-21, 2007. The No. 4 story was the June 10, 2009 fatal shooting of a guard at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. by James von Brunn, a reputed white supremacist and anti-Semite. That attack accounted for 11% of the newshole from June 8-14, 2009. The fifth-biggest weekly crime story occurred during the week of April 14-20, 2008, when the fallout from the raid on a Texas polygamy compound—which included the removal of more than 400 children—accounted for 8% of the newshole. Tricia Sartor and Dana Page of PEJ
For the week of October 19-25, the war in Afghanistan generated its second highest level of coverage (13%) since PEJ began tracking it in January 2007. Much of that coverage centered on the upcoming election runoff between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his rival Abdullah Abdullah. But that focus on the internal affairs of Afghanistan is not typical of the kind of news that has kept Afghanistan in the headlines in recent months. After accounting for only about 2% of the overall newshole in the first half of 2009, coverage of Afghanistan has increased markedly in the second half of the year, filling 7% of the newshole since July 1. That makes it the No. 3 story in that period, behind only the health care debate (17%) and the economic crisis (12%). But as coverage has increased, what aspects of the conflict have the media highlighted? The next biggest theme (17% of the Afghanistan coverage) has been about the internal affairs of that country, a subject dominated by the August 20 presidential election, allegations of voter fraud and stories about the upcoming runoff. The No. 3 storyline (also at 17%) consists of coverage of the escalating combat and violence occurring inside Afghanistan. October 2009 has already proved to be the deadliest month for U.S. forces fighting there since the war began eight years ago. Several smaller storylines have also generated attention in recent months. The saga of New York Times journalist David Rohde—who was captured by the Taliban in November 2008 and escaped seven months later—has accounted for another 5% of the coverage. The stories Rohde wrote this month, which detailed his time in Taliban captivity, accounted for some of that coverage. Rounding out the top six storylines are Taliban and Al-Qaeda strategies that do not involve direct combat (4%) and the impact of the war on the U.S. homefront (at 2%). The emerging pattern of Afghanistan coverage that tilts toward U.S. policy deliberations mirrors, to some extent, how the media covered the conflict in Iraq. In 2007, the first year of PEJ’s News Coverage Index, the Iraq war was the top story, filling 16% of the newshole. And half of that coverage was devoted to the raging political debate in Washington, primarily focused on President Bush’s decision to implement a troop surge in the face of opposition from a new Congress controlled by Democrats. Tricia Sartor of PEJ |
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