News Content Analysis

Overview The threat of nuclear disaster in Japan and the killing of Osama bin Laden by Navy SEALs were two of the breaking news stories that captured the greatest amount of public attention in 2011. But Americans also kept a steady watch on the economy at home. More than half said they followed news about […]

What stories and which people generated the most news coverage in 2011? PEJ's annual Year in the News report offers answers. The Year in News 2011 Interactive allows users to explore the data for themselves.

Attention to the Republican nomination fight increased last week with Iowa looming and Gingrich and Romney locked in campaign combat.

More than eight years after U.S. troops entered Iraq, the United States military – with the exception of a few troops connected with the U.S. Embassy – will leave the country by the end of 2011.

Overview The latest allegations in the child sex abuse scandal at Penn State University rivaled news about the 2012 elections and the economy for the public’s attention last week. About two-in-ten (19%) say news about the candidates for the 2012 presidential elections was their top story, while 18% each say they followed news about the […]

One GOP candidate has not only soared in the polls recently, he’s become the focal point of news coverage as well. A presidential speech drove coverage of the week’s No. 2 story, the economy.

Overview The number of Americans hearing mostly bad news about the economy has fallen 12 points over the past month and 31 points since fears of a new recession intensified in August. Currently, 56% say the news they are hearing about the economy is a mix of good and bad, while 36% say the news […]

Herman Cain was in the campaign spotlight one final time last week, as he ended his presidential run in the wake of new allegations. Some good news on both the domestic and foreign economic fronts fueled coverage of the No. 2 and No. 3 stories.

 Overview Few Americans (17%) paid very close attention to news about the congressional “super committee” last week as the panel approached its deadline to agree on a plan to cut federal spending and reduce the national deficit. Another 24% say they followed news about the super committee fairly closely. Most (58%) followed news about the […]

Tensions drove Occupy Wall Street coverage to its biggest week so far and an interview with Jerry Sandusky ushered in a second week of major coverage of Penn State’s sexual abuse scandal.