Gas Prices, Disasters Top News Interest in 2007
Man-made and natural disasters dominated the list of the public’s top news stories in 2007 but, as was the case in 2006, the rising price of gasoline attracted the largest audience of any news story.
What Was — and Wasn’t — On the Public’s Mind in 2007
A compilation of the top 15 stories in which public opinion played a significant role, and the year’s most notable “non-barking dogs.”
Iraq News: Less Dominant, Still Important
Both media coverage of the conflict and public interest in it have fallen, but a growing number of Americans would like to see more war coverage, especially of U.S. troops and returning veterans.
Modest Interest in 2008 Campaign News
Many more Republicans are able to recall unprompted the names of Democratic frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama than can name Rudy Giuliani and other leading GOP candidates.
Who Watches Wall Street?
Interest in the stock market is currently relatively high, but only a minority of Americans regularly follows economic news unless, like gas and food prices, it hits directly on the average pocketbook.
Two Decades of American News Preferences
In the second of two parts, Pew Research Center consultant Michael Robinson analyzes data from 165 surveys on audience news preferences to examine news interest across decades and describe how the public’s news interests have changed — or not changed — over different news eras.
Two Decades of American News Preferences
Despite dramatic structural changes in the news media since the 1980s, the interests of news audiences have changed very little over the past several decades. Disaster News and Money News have been at the top of the charts throughout, while Tabloid News and Foreign News have been at the bottom. In this first of two reports, Pew Research Center consultant Michael Robinson analyzes data from 165 surveys on audience preferences taken by the PRC (and predecessor organizations) since 1986.
Public Blames Media for Too Much Celebrity Coverage
An overwhelming majority of the public (87%) says celebrity scandals receive too much news coverage; and most who say celebrity news is over-covered blame the media — not the public.
Iraq Dominates News Landscape in First Half of 2007
So far, the war in Iraq has eclipsed most other 2007news stories. Second string stories ranged from politics and crime to pet food and celebrities, but the public stayed primarily tuned to casualties and troop levels.
Public Wants to Know More about Darfur and Many Favor U.S. Involvement
As world leaders gather in Germany for the annual G-8 meeting, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur will be high on their agenda. Pew’s latest surveys find nearly half of Americans believing the United States has a moral obligation to do something about the ethnic genocide there, and a modest plurality thinking the U.S. should send troops.
