Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Bloggers and the traditional media were both focused on the economy last week, but the online community was just as concerned with a Barack Obama-Rush Limbaugh feud and a practical joke involving a zombie sighting.
One week after Barack Obama’s swearing in, the battle over a stimulus plan restored the financial meltdown to a dominant role in the news agenda and triggered early questions about the President’s political skills. In the media narrative, the honeymoon chapter seemed over before it began.
Bloggers and the mainstream media alike focused intently on one storyline last week. In its maiden edition, PEJ’s “New Media Index” examines the most discussed news on blogs, user news sites, and other social media and compares it to the mainstream media.
Barack Obama’s official transition to power swamped the news last week. And even that may understate the extent to which he commandeered the agenda, with an early edict on Gitmo and a full-court press on a stimulus package.
The Project for Excellence in Journalism did not issue a News Index report this week, but the data is available.
A number of major stories—the Gaza conflict, Blago-gate, and the faltering economy—grabbed the attention of the news media last week. But with his inauguration looming, the challenges facing the President-elect emerged as the dominant theme.
The economic crisis showed few signs of easing, a scandal-plagued governor tried to anoint a Senator, and the incoming President moved to Washington. But last week, the guns of the Middle East dominated the news agenda.
The Project for Excellence in Journalism did not issue a News Index report this week, but the data is available.