Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Attention to the crucial midterm congressional elections reached new heights last week, accounting for nearly half the overall news coverage. The top stories also included the economy, a new terror plot, the conflict in Afghanistan and fresh revelations about the BP oil disaster that dominated coverage in the summer.
The online rhetoric heated up last week as bloggers from the left and right responded to statements from two controversial GOP figures. On Twitter, users marveled over an unorthodox space launch while on YouTube, the subject of UFOs was front and center.
Thanks to polls, prognosticators and personal attacks, the congressional election cycle galvanized the news media last week. The economy finished as the No. 2 story, with the foreclosure crisis once again driving the narrative. And a noteworthy news industry firing, that of NPR’s Juan Williams, triggered an impassioned journalistic and political debate.
The country’s ongoing mortgage crisis sparked outrage from many bloggers last week while others discussed the compatibility—or lack thereof—between faith and science. On Twitter, images of the rescued Chilean miners drew cheers. And on YouTube, a movie star’s surprise visit to a school received millions of views.
Thanks to some bruising campaigns and controversial remarks, the 2010 midterms led the mainstream news agenda again last week as an outspoken gubernatorial candidate moved to the center of the narrative. And the happy conclusion to the story of the 33 trapped Chilean miners, captured on live television, finished as a strong No. 2 subject.
With the 2010 midterm season upon us, bloggers of various political stripes last week focused intently on politics and the state of the U.S. economy. On Twitter, technology topics again led the way. And the most popular YouTube video was a phony satirical story about a young pop idol.
This fall’s big story—the 2010 midterm elections—showed little sign of abating last week as some heated campaigns sparked much of the media’s interest. Faulty foreclosure procedures helped make the troubled economy the No. 2 story, while the passing of a milestone in Afghanistan drove coverage of the third-biggest story.
A survey concluding that non-believers know more about religion than believers sparked an intense and heartfelt conversation among bloggers last week. On Twitter, a disturbing discovery in a loaf of bread was the top story. And on YouTube, a Swiss politician with the giggles became an international video star.
As the campaign for control of Congress entered its final month, election news once again dominated the headlines—overshadowing almost everything else. Some housing news drove coverage of the economy while President Obama’s suggestion to lengthen the school year helped make education one of the week’s top stories.