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Project for Excellence in Journalism
Blogs Debate Wisconsin, Unions
For the second straight week, social and mainstream media shared similar news agendas as the labor stalemate in Wisconsin and the violent unrest in Libya garnered the most attention in both sectors. But while the traditional press focused more on the events in the Middle East, bloggers spent more time debating the standoff in Wisconsin between unions and the governor over his effort to curtail collective bargaining rights.
From Feb. 21-25, one quarter (25%) of the news links on blogs were about the political turmoil in Wisconsin, making it the No. 1 subject, according to the New Media Index from the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. In the mainstream press, the economy, dominated by the Wisconsin situation, was the second-biggest subject, filling 24% of the newshole.
On blogs, a passionate debate raged that was clearly split along ideological lines. Conservatives applauded Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker for standing up to unions, which they viewed as special interest groups with too much political clout. Liberals derided Walker for the same actions, while defending unions as an important force in strengthening the middle class. Both sides had significant representation in the online discussion.
For some, President Obama became the issue after he injected himself into the debate by claiming that Walker was conducting an "assault" on unions. Most bloggers condemned the president for his stance on the issue, although he did have a few supporters.
The second-largest story on blogs, with 12%, was the unrest in Libya -- a subject which was also popular on Twitter, as the No. 2 story there, with 13% of the links. The week before, the turmoil in neighboring Egypt was the No. 2 story on blogs, with 21% of the links.
On both social media platforms last week, most of the activity involved passing along breaking news from Libya. However, there were some expressions of support for the protestors while a few bloggers pondered the uncertain road ahead. (In the mainstream media, events in the Middle East were the No. 1 story last week, at 35% of the newshole.)
The No. 3 story on blogs, also at 12%, was a BBC report about American scientists who claim that monkeys have the ability to express self-doubt and uncertainty. The scientists concluded that the way the monkeys played a certain computer game revealed a self-awareness in their thinking, which was previously thought only to be a human trait.
The fourth subject (8%) included reports that the Obama administration would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act -- a law that bars the government from acknowledging same-sex marriages. The announcement marks a shift in the administration's stance on gay rights. Most of the opinion online supported Obama's decision, although some bloggers expressed concern that the president was overstepping his role by deciding which laws should and should not be enforced.
A Los Angeles Times column about the myth of "greedy geezers" who are supposedly bankrupting the nation was the fifth-largest subject, with 7% of the week's links. According to the author, Susan Jacobs, many Americans buy into the perception, which she says is false, that most senior citizens are wealthy enough not to need Social Security and Medicare, and are "fleecing" younger American workers.
On the social networking platform Twitter, aside from the attention to the upheaval in Libya, technology news once again led the way -- albeit with a philanthropic twist.