Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Introduction The political news environment has changed dramatically in recent years. Long gone are the days when political information was confined to a few network news channels and major national newspapers or magazines. Today, newspapers and network TV compete with 24-hour cable channels and a host of online news services—from online efforts by traditional publishers […]
Barack Obama’s job approval ratings are not the only ones to have slipped lately. Public approval of the job Republican leaders in Congress are doing has fallen to the lowest point in Pew Research Center surveys going all the way back to 1994. Just 28% of Americans say they approve of the job Republicans are […]
Bloggers last week focused on reports and predictions involving major changes to some of the country’s prominent institutions. And their verdict was mixed on whether these potentially dramatic developments were heartening or ominous.
The Project for Excellence in Journalism did not issue a News Index report this week, but the data is available.
The most prominent narrative in social media online last week shifted from the stimulus bill to a critique of Obama’s first month in office. While the economic crisis was still a large topic, a policy change at Facebook created an uproar that forced the site to then change course.
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.
Yes, Michelle Obama set some hearts a flutter and generated some headlines when she laid hands on the Queen last week. But most of the coverage of the President’s overseas trip focused on the same challenge he faces at home.
Summary of Findings The controversy over the millions of dollars in bonuses paid to AIG employees attracted considerable public interest last week. In fact, about as many people tracked that story very closely (50%) as followed news about the overall economy very closely (52%). The AIG controversy was the most closely followed story of the […]