2009-06-23-皮尤-Strong_Public_Interest_in_Iranian_Election_Protests_12页_61kb

Report on Public Interest in Iranian Election Protests (June 2009)

A Pew Research Center report released on June 24, 2009, examined heightened interest in Iranian election protests among the U.S. public and media. The disputed June 2009 presidential election in Iran led to widespread protests, capturing the attention of Americans comparable to the economy.

• Public interest peaked with 20% closely following news about the protests, slightly lower than the 22% for the U.S. economy. Additionally, 28% followed it very closely, reflecting strong engagement despite it being a foreign issue.
• Media coverage was substantial, accounting for 28% of news attention, surpassing other international stories except Iraq, such as the 2008 Mumbai attacks (29%).

Awareness of the Iranian government's restrictions on journalists and the use of the internet for protest updates was notable. About 32% had heard a lot about amateur videos and firsthand accounts posted online, with internet serving as a key source for overcoming censorship.

The protests ranked high in foreign news interest, tied with mid-2008 Russia-Gorgia conflict interest. Among foreign stories not involving U.S. citizens, Iran protests were second only to Iraq in drawing close attention.

Other topics showed less interest: Health care reform at 28% public interest, North Korean threats at 27%, and financial regulations at 27%. The report also highlighted ongoing focus on the economy (42%) and geopolitical conflicts, but Iran protests stood out for their sustained attention.