Project for Excellence in Journalism

Campaign Coverage Heats Up

Oil Spill Coverage Reaches New Low

August 17, 2010

Driven by some key primary fights in Georgia and Colorado, continuing signs of disarray among the Democrats and more evidence of an angry public mood, coverage of the 2010 midterm elections led the news last week.

From Aug. 9-15, the elections accounted for 15% of the newshole, according to the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. In the past month, the midterms have accounted for 8% of the overall coverage, trailing only the economy (13%) and the oil spill (10%).

Last week's coverage may have foreshadowed a changing of the guard in the news agenda. With Labor Day -- traditionally considered the kickoff of the official campaign season -- looming, attention to the midterm elections is likely to continue to grow. And last week the story that had dominated the media agenda in the spring and early summer, the Gulf oil disaster, plunged to 3% of the newshole. That represents its lowest level since the April 20 rig explosion and is a sign that coverage may have finally run its course -- barring further surprises.

Last week's No. 2 story was the economy, which continues to generate a sustained level of substantial coverage. With discouraging news about the state of the recovery and the passage of a bill to save teaching jobs, the story filled 12% of the newshole, the same level as the previous week.

There was a significant drop-off to the No. 3 story (5% of the newshole), the death of former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens in the crash of a small plane. In many of the obituaries, Stevens was remembered for his ability to bring federal largesse to his state -- something looked on less kindly in the current economic and political environment.

The week's fourth-biggest story (4%) was the debate over immigration policy. The news-making events included talk by some conservatives about repealing the 14th Amendment that bestows citizenship on anyone born in the U.S. and President Obama's signing of a bill sending more law enforcement personnel to the Mexican border.

The No. 5 story, at 3%, was the diminishing oil spill story, down from 11% the week before. That marked the first time since the crisis began in late April that saga had not been among the top three topics in a given week. What news there was focused on a storm that delayed efforts to finish drilling a relief well, the final step chapter in stopping the leak.

Continue reading the full report at journalism.org.