Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Many Say Intense Iowa Coverage is “Too Much”

With its “first in the nation” status, Iowahas commanded the attention of the candidates vying for their party’s nominations and the press following their every move.

Four years ago, when Iowa last held its Jan. 3 caucuses, coverage of the campaign filled 49% of the newshole during the week of Dec. 30 to Jan. 4.After the 2008 caucuses, four-in-ten Americans said that too much press coverage had been devoted to the event. Slightly more (43%) Americans felt that the amount of coverage was “just right,” and 11% said there was “too little”coverage.

Three-in-ten (30%) Americans reported having followed the results of the 2008 Iowa caucuses . Television was far and away the public’s main source of caucus night coverage, as a quarter of the public (26%) turned to television for news about the election returns. Only 3% went mainly to the internet for results. Read More