News Habits & Media

The stories and issues that gain traction in social media differ substantially from those that lead in the mainstream press. But they also differ greatly from each other. Across a year-long study of blogs, Twitter and YouTube, the three platforms shared the same top story just once. What are the stories and issues that dominate in theses platforms? And what media outlets tend to provide those stories? A new year-long study by report offers answers.

While the recent British balloting may have been confusing for many news consumers, bloggers eagerly dissected the results, devoting as much time to the election as any story so far in 2010. On YouTube, the top video, of a controversial police raid, was viewed 1.2 million times.

Summary of Findings As oil from an undersea well continued to flow into the Gulf of Mexico last week, Americans tracked the worsening environmental disaster much more closely than any other major news story. About half (49%) say this was the story they followed most closely. Press coverage was divided between the oil leak (17% […]

The environmental disaster in the Gulf continued its month-long run among the roster of top stories last week as the narrative focused on assigning blame for the spill. The newest Supreme Court nominee attracted detractors and supporters, but not as much coverage as her immediate predecessor.

The blogosphere was focused on two major news events last week, the failed bombing attempt in Times Square and the spreading oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. And in both instances, the conversation included a lot of partisan finger pointing. The oil spill was also among two of the most viewed news videos on YouTube while Twitter remained more fixated on Apple.

Summary of Findings Americans tracked the worsening oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico more closely than other major news stories last week, while the media focused on both the underwater oil leak and the investigation into the attempted car bombing in New York’s Times Square. A third of the public (33%) says they most […]

The media scrambled last week as authorities arrested a suspect in the Times Square terror case, the Gulf oil spill grew more ominous, Wall Street went briefly into free fall and floods took a deadly toll in Tennessee. All of which left little room for coverage of a crucial overseas election.

The controversial immigration law in Arizona sparked significant interest in the blogosphere last week, as it did in the mainstream media. But the social media also focused intently on a story that was largely absent in the MSM—the question of whether we on earth should consider E.T. a friend or foe.

Summary of Findings As a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico spread toward the Louisiana coastline last week, the public focused on the unfolding story of a potential environmental disaster. The spill dominated the public’s consciousness. It was the story people were most likely to say they talked about with friends. The percentage […]

With Congress putting one of Wall Street’s big-name firms on the hot seat, the economy topped the news agenda last week. Increasingly grim news about the Gulf Coast oil spill and the polarizing debate over Arizona’s immigration law also attracted significant coverage. Meanwhile, a prominent GOP defector drove coverage of the mid-term elections.