2009-03-17-皮尤-Public_Sees_More_of_a_Mix_of_Good_and_Bad_Economic_News_12页_62kb

Summary of Report Content

The release discusses changes in American perceptions of economic news from December 2008 to March 2009, based on surveys by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. Key points include:

• A significant shift: Fewer Americans (51%) perceive economic news as primarily negative, with more reporting a mix of good and bad news (up from 60% in February). This change is driven by factors like Obama's inauguration and higher family income.

• Partisan differences: Democrats show stronger shifts (55% seeing mixed news) compared to Republicans (33%) and independents (44%), reflecting a more optimistic view since early 2009.

• Income effects: Those with higher incomes ($75,000+) are more likely to see mixed news, while lower income groups show less change.

• Public interest: Economic and stock market news remain dominant, with 35% of coverage focused on financial issues. Stock market attention increased sharply, with 38% of respondents following it closely.

• Other stories: The Chris Brown-Rihanna conflict garnered high interest, while Pakistan news had low engagement.

The data comes from the News Interest Index survey, comparing perceptions, interest, and coverage across various groups. Trends highlight a move away from predominantly negative economic news and growing focus on financial fluctuations.