Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
With the news split between stories like the Utah Mine collapse and the resignation of Karl Rove, the leading topic in the media last week was he 2008 campaign, but only barely. And by week’s end the nations’ economic turbulence was grabbing headlines.
In the second quarter of 2007, the presidential campaign supplanted the debate over Iraq as the No. 1 story in the media. Barack Obama overtook Hillary Clinton as the candidate getting the most attention. And Republicans began to catch up with Democrats in exposure. PEJ offers a 2nd quarter report on the media.
The actual vote may be 15 months away, but a loaded campaign calendar helped make last week the biggest one so far for the 2008 presidential race in talk media. No other stories really came close. One of the biggest topics in all the talk: Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton.
The fate of six miners trapped 1,500 feet underground followed two storylines last week as rescuers rushed against time and the mine company owner took his case to the public. But three presidential debates and the Iowa straw poll pushed the 2008 presidential campaign in the top spot.
The deadly collapse of the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis last week quickly became one of the most heavily covered events of the year so far. And while it was the top story in every medium, coverage was particularly intense on cable TV, where officials, rescuers and even some victims told their stories.
Format moved to the forefront of the Talk Show universe last week. The unusual CNN/YouTube Democratic debate inspired a good deal of talk show commentary. The hosts also found time to discuss an attorney general under stress, a quarterback under arrest, and actress under duress.
The foreign policy sparring between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama helped make the 2008 campaign the biggest story last week. And Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ troubles continue to make headlines. But what’s behind the recent outbreak of terrorism scares in mainstream news coverage?
The Senate slumber party/Iraq strategy showdown made the debate over the war the leading talk show subject last week. But the conversation about the 2008 presidential race, the second most popular topic, was driven by some pretty personal questions about the one woman in the race.