---
title: "Election and Unrest in Syria Top the News"
description: "The Project for Excellence in Journalism did not publish a news index report this week. But the data has been made available."
date: "2012-02-12"
authors:
  - name: "Pew Research Center"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2012/02/12/pej-news-coverage-index-february-612-2012/"
---

# Election and Unrest in Syria Top the News

The Project for Excellence in Journalism did not publish a news index report this week. However, the data is available [here](/tables_top_ten_story_data_february_612_2012).

## Top Ten Story Data: February 6-12, 2012

### Overall (All 5 Sectors)

| Rank | Story | Percent of Newshole |
| --- | --- | --- |

| 1 | 2012 Presidential Election | 22% |

| 2 | Middle East Unrest | 13 |

| 3 | Economy | 10 |

| 4 | Health Care Debate | 9 |

| 5 | Susan Powell Missing | 4 |

| 6 | European Economy | 3 |

| 7 | Same-Sex Marriage Debate | 3 |

| 8 | LA School Sex Abuse Scandal | 2 |

| 9 | Iran | 2 |

### Newspapers

| Rank | Story | Percent of Newshole |
| --- | --- | --- |

| 1 | Economy  | 20% |

| 2 | 2012 Presidential Election | 15 |

| 3 | Middle East Unrest | 7 |

| 4 | Education System | 6 |

| 5 | LA School Sex Abuse Scandal | 4 |

| 6 | European Economy | 3 |

| 7 | Afghanistan | 3 |

| 8 | Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | 3 |

| 9 | Same-Sex Marriage Debate | 3 |

### Online

| Rank | Story | Percent of Newshole |
| --- | --- | --- |

| 1 | 2012 Presidential Election | 20% |

| 2 | Middle East Unrest | 14 |

| 3 | Economy | 12 |

| 4 | Susan Powell Missing | 7 |

| 5 | Health Care Debate  | 5 |

| 6 | European Economy | 4 |

| 7 | Energy Debate | 2 |

| 8 | LA School Sex Abuse Scandal | 2 |

| 9 | Same-Sex Marriage Debate | 2 |

### Network TV

| Rank | Story | Percent of Newshole |
| --- | --- | --- |

| 1 | 2012 Presidential Election | 17% |

| 2 | Middle East Unrest | 15 |

| 3 | Health Care Debate  | 9 |

| 4 | European Economy | 7 |

| 5 | Susan Powell Missing | 7 |

| 6 | Economy | 5 |

| 7 | NFL Super Bowl | 5 |

| 8 | Same-Sex Marriage Debate | 4 |

| 9 | Terror Threats' Homeland Security | 3 |

### Cable TV

| Rank | Story | Percent of Newshole |
| --- | --- | --- |

| 1 | 2012 Presidential Election | 33% |

| 2 | Middle East Unrest  | 16 |

| 3 | Health Care Debate | 15 |

| 4 | Economy | 6 |

| 5 | CPAC 2012 | 3 |

| 6 | Clint Eastwood Super Bowl Ad | 3 |

| 7 | Same-Sex Marriage Debate | 3 |

| 8 | Iran | 3 |

| 9 | LA School Sex Abuse Scandal | 2 |

### Radio

| Rank | Story | Percent of Newshole |
| --- | --- | --- |

| 1 | 2012 Presidential Election | 23% |

| 2 | Health Care Debate | 21 |

| 3 | Middle East Unrest | 10 |

| 4 | Clint Eastwood Super Bowl Ad | 7 |

| 5 | Iran | 5 |

| 6 | Obama Administration | 2 |

| 7 | NFL Super Bowl | 2 |

| 8 | European Economy | 2 |

| 9 | Same-Sex Marriage Debate | 2 |