2011-12-06-皮尤-Many_Fewer_Hearing_Mostly_Bad_Economic_News_15页_80kb

Summary of Pew Research Center News Release: Public Perceptions of Economic and Political News, December 7, 2011

• Economic News Perception Trends: Perceptions of economic news have improved from "mostly bad," with a 12-point decline from the previous month. Currently, 56% view it as mixed versus 36% seeing it as mostly bad, the first time since May that mixed views outweigh mostly bad views. Since August, when recession fears intensified, negative views have decreased, partly due to a November jobs report reducing unemployment from 9% to 8.6%. Expectations for better news compared to August.

• Sector-Specific Economic News: Views on specific economic sectors have improved:

  • Retail sales: Confidence reached the highest level since 2009, with 51% (up from 33% a year ago) reporting mostly good news.
  • Job situation: 51% see mostly bad news, down from previous highs, with more recognizing mixed reports.
  • Financial markets: Split more evenly, with nearly half reporting mixed or mostly bad news.
  • Public optimism declined for some areas like recessions, payouts, high gas prices, and health insurance.

• Presidential Campaign and News Interest: The economy was the leading news focus last week, accounting for 30% of surveyed adults' most closely followed topics. Cain's suspension led to his marginalization in news, but allegations of sexual harassment reduced his visibility. Gingrich's visibility increased as he rose from near invisibility to 19% mentioning as the most heard candidate; Romney's disappearance may harm perceptions. News interest in campaigns remained steady, showing close proximity in attention between candidates and voters.

• Public Interest and Media Coverage Patterns: Economic news had the highest interest (30% for "most closely followed"), with presidential campaigns following as top concerns. Media coverage spans traditional, digital platforms, documenting the dominance of certain events like the economy, while others like Russia-U.S. tensions saw declining focus.

• Partisan Divisions on Economic News: Republicans expressed the most negativity, achieving 45% seeing mostly bad news, down from earlier highs but remaining higher than Democrats (29%) and Independents (38%). The widening partisan gap reflects political polarization and an ongoing political context.

Key context: This report integrates the News Interest Index and media coverage data, highlighting how public sentiment declines during heightened financial reversals but adapts with improving economic indicators. Data variations reflect shifting campaign landscapes within conservative politics and international hotspots.