2009 News Interest Reports
November 19, 2009
Health Care Reform News Tops Public Interest
Public Option Registers Widely
November 11, 2009
Fort Hood Shootings Top Interest, Coverage
Unchanged Expectations About Health Care Reform Passage
November 5, 2009
Swine Flu Interest Outpaces Coverage
68% Hearing "Mostly Bad News" about Jobs
October 29, 2009
Fox News Viewed as Most Ideological Network
Swine Flu Tops Weekly News Interest
October 22, 2009
Most Say They Lack Background to Follow Afghan News
Growing Number Expects Health Care Bill to Pass
October 15, 2009
Growing Interest in Swine Flu, Many See Press Overstating its Danger
Fewer than Half Would Get Vaccine
October 8, 2009
Americans Following Health Care, Economic News
Many Aware of Swine Flu Vaccine Arrival
September 30, 2009
Media Less Influential in Views on Health Care, Economy Than on Other Issues
Health Care Debate Continues to Top News Interest
September 23, 2009
No Increase in "Too Much" Obama Despite Media Blitz
Republicans Focus on ACORN Scandal
September 16, 2009
Health Care Debate Seen as "Rude and Disrespectful"
Debate Continues to Dominate Public Interest
September 8, 2009
Health Care Proposals Remain Hard to Follow
Most Plan to Watch Obama Health Care Speech
September 3, 2009
Public Aware of Key Swine Flu Facts
Health Care Debate Still Top Story
August 26, 2009
Health Care Still the Summer's Dominant Story
Many Hearing News About Swine Flu Vaccine
August 20, 2009
Health Care Reform Closely Followed, Much Discussed
86% Hear of "Death Panel" Claims
August 12, 2009
News About Economy Seen as Less Dire, More Hopeful
Little Protest over Town Hall Protests
August 6, 2009
Many Fault Media Coverage of Health Care Debate
Partisan Divide Over Coverage of "Birther" Allegations
July 30, 2009
Health Care Front-And-Center on Public's News Agenda
Interest, Coverage Spike
July 22, 2009
Health Care: Important, Interesting, But Hard to Follow
More Say Government is on "Wrong Track" on Economy
July 15, 2009
Americans Remained Focused on Michael Jackson
Public Divided Over Palin Press Coverage
July 8, 2009
Public Hearing More Negative News About Economy
Michael Jackson's Death Again Most Closely Followed Story
July 1, 2009
Coverage of Jackson's Death Seen As Excessive
Blacks Track News of Icon's Death Much More Closely than Whites
June 24, 2009
Strong Public Interest in Iranian Election Protests
Many Know Iranians Using Internet to Get Message Out
June 17, 2009
Employment News Seen As Overwhelmingly Bad
Health Care Reform Debate Gets Noticed
June 11, 2009
Week's Major News Stories Draw Different Audiences
Coverage of Obama Seen as Largely Fair
June 4, 2009
First Impressions of Sotomayor Mostly Positive
Press Coverage of Nomination Seen as Fair
May 28, 2009
Public Tracks Economy, Media Focuses on Terror Debate
Interest in Swine Flu Remains Strong
May 20, 2009
Public Stays Focused on the Economy
Widespread Awareness of Dealership Closings
May 13, 2009
Public Sees News About Economy Less Glum
Swine Flu Interest High But Flagging
May 6, 2009
Local TV A Top Source For Swine Flu News
Internet Seen as Most Useful
April 29, 2009
Public Sees Too Much Personal Coverage of Obama
Majorities Say Right Amount on Leadership and Policies
April 22, 2009
Fox News Stands Out as "Too Critical" of Obama
No One Network Singled Out as Too Easy
April 15, 2009
Most Now Say News Paints Mixed Economic Picture
Many Follow Somali Pirate Story
April 8, 2009
Obama's Trip Closely Followed
More Women Than Men Track Royal Visit
April 2, 2009
Little Sign of Obama Fatigue
Fewer See Press Coverage of President as Fair
March 25, 2009
Strong Interest in AIG, Positive Views of Congress' Response
Echoes of Dubai Ports Deal
March 18, 2009
Public Sees More of a Mix of Good and Bad Economic News
Stewart-Cramer Registers Less than Rihanna-Chris Brown
March 12, 2009
Many Would Shrug if Their Local Newspaper Closed
Limbaugh Flap Draws More Coverage Than Interest
March 5, 2009
States' Budget Woes Register With Public
Republicans Increasingly Critical of Obama
February 26, 2009
Many Say Government on Right Track on Economy
Some Harsh Words for Wall Street
February 19, 2009
Most Feel a Personal Stake in Tracking Economic News
Stimulus Passage Tops News Coverage and Interest
February 11, 2009
Stimulus News Seen As More Negative Than Positive
Too Much Coverage of Phelps, Octuplets
February 4, 2009
Policy Issues Overshadow Personal Stories in Obama's First Weeks
Broad Public Awareness of Coming Digital TV Transition
January 28, 2009
Inauguration Outdraws Interest in Economy
Public Says Media Fair in Obama Coverage
January 23, 2009
Plane Crash Draws As Much Interest As Economy
January 15, 2009
Obama Cabinet Appointees Highly Visible
Unemployment Figures Draw Broad Attention
January 8, 2009
Mideast Competes with Economy and Obama For Public Interest
Press Viewed as 'Fair' to Bush and Obama
The News Interest Index is an ongoing project of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press which builds on the Center's longstanding research into public attentiveness to major news stories and examines news interest as it relates to the news media's agenda. The weekly survey is conducted in conjunction with The Project for Excellence in Journalism's News Coverage Index, which monitors the news reported by major newspaper, television, radio and online news outlets on an ongoing basis.
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