Americans focused most closely last week on economic news amid continued reports about the weakness of the recovery, while the media gave the most coverage to the scandal involving New York Rep. Anthony Weiner.
About a quarter of the public (23%) says the economy was their top story of the week, according to the latest News Interest Index survey conducted June 9-12 among 1,002 adults by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. By comparison, 13% say they most closely followed news about Weiner's admission that he sent sexually suggestive photos and messages to several women online.
In that regard, most Americans (63%) say news organizations are giving too much coverage to the scandal involving the Democratic lawmaker. Weiner's troubles accounted for 17% of coverage, according to a separate analysis by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ). News about the economy made up 11% of the newshole.
About four-in-ten (39%) say they followed reports about the condition of the economy very closely, more than double the number following any other top story that closely. The level of interest is comparable with one week earlier (35%), when the news included downbeat reports about the health of the job, housing and financial markets.
Just 15% say they very closely followed news about the Weiner scandal, which unfolded over the course of the week with his initial admission, additional revelations and calls for his resignation from Democratic leaders. About a quarter (27%) say they followed this story fairly closely. But more than half say they followed it not too (23%) or not at all closely (34%). Interest was comparable among men and women and among Republicans, Democrats and independents.
View the topline questionnaire and survey methodology at people-press.org.
Public Focused on Economy, Media on Weiner Scandal
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/2024/public-interest-too-much-anthony-weiner-palin-coverage
Public Sees Too Much Coverage of Weiner, Palin
June 15, 2011
Americans focused most closely last week on economic news amid continued reports about the weakness of the recovery, while the media gave the most coverage to the scandal involving New York Rep. Anthony Weiner.
About a quarter of the public (23%) says the economy was their top story of the week, according to the latest News Interest Index survey conducted June 9-12 among 1,002 adults by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. By comparison, 13% say they most closely followed news about Weiner's admission that he sent sexually suggestive photos and messages to several women online.
In that regard, most Americans (63%) say news organizations are giving too much coverage to the scandal involving the Democratic lawmaker. Weiner's troubles accounted for 17% of coverage, according to a separate analysis by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ). News about the economy made up 11% of the newshole.
About four-in-ten (39%) say they followed reports about the condition of the economy very closely, more than double the number following any other top story that closely. The level of interest is comparable with one week earlier (35%), when the news included downbeat reports about the health of the job, housing and financial markets.
Just 15% say they very closely followed news about the Weiner scandal, which unfolded over the course of the week with his initial admission, additional revelations and calls for his resignation from Democratic leaders. About a quarter (27%) say they followed this story fairly closely. But more than half say they followed it not too (23%) or not at all closely (34%). Interest was comparable among men and women and among Republicans, Democrats and independents.
View the topline questionnaire and survey methodology at people-press.org.
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