Media Scores Budget Fight
The high level of economic coverage on cable and radio news indicated how politically loaded the debate about federal spending has become. Neither elevated disaster ratings in Japan nor Qaddafi cluster-bombing civilians drew comparable media attention.
Japan, Global Warming Top Blogger Agenda
Bloggers kept attention on Japan while renewing an old debate on climate change with focus on a once-prominent skeptic’s change of position. Neither subject had much traction in the mainstream media.
Government Shutdown Threat Shuts Out Foreign News
The looming government shutdown became the first domestic story to lead the news in nearly two months. Rep. Ryan’s budget drew attention and the Middle East remained in the news.
Five Myths about the Future of Journalism
As media organizations plot their future, it’s worth discarding some misconceptions about what it will take to keep the press from becoming yesterday’s news. Here, in an aricle prepared for the Washington Post, are five frequent, if faulty, allegations:
Blogs Stray from Big Media Stories
Bloggers conversed about an eclectic mix of topics last week that were far from headline news on front pages or cable talk shows.
Media Interest in Libya, Japan Begins to Wane
The Middle East and Japan remained at the top of the media’s agenda, but both stories have seen coverage fall as time has passed as interest in the economy resurges.
Blogs Remember Elizabeth Taylor
Taylor’s death received more coverage on blogs than any other celebrity passing, including pop icon Michael Jackson, since PEJ began monitoring blog content. On Twitter, the top subject was phone giant AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile.
Media Focus Remains Overseas
The entry of the U.S. and NATO military forces into the Libyan conflict made it the No.1 story, surpassing the crisis in Japan. Altogether, 43% of overall news coverage this year has been devoted to international events — nearly double the normal level.
Japan Crisis Overtakes Social Media
The aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake in Japan was the No. 1 topic on blogs, Twitter and YouTube.
Crisis Coverage: From Japan to Libya
As intense media focus quickly shifted from Japan to Libya late last week, it marked the seventh of the last eight weeks that overseas stories have led the mainstream news agenda.
