2009-09-29-皮尤-Media_Less_Influential_in_Views_on_Health_Care,_Economy_Than_on_Other_Issues_11页_52kb

Summary of the Health Care Debate Report

This report from the Pew Research Center analyzes U.S. public interest in health care reform and other news topics during the week of September 2009.

Key findings include:

1. Top News Interest: The debate over health care reform was the most closely followed news story, with 42% naming it their primary story of the week, compared to 19% for the U.S. economy.
2. Media Influence: Publics relied less on the media to form opinions about core economic and health concerns (41% media cited for health care, 41% for the economy) compared to environmental issues (57%) or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (61%). Personal experiences were more influential for personal issues like health care and the economy (35% and 31% cite personal experience respectively).
3. Age Differences: Older Americans (65+) were more likely than younger adults (18-39) to rely on media for forming opinions, especially on the war (73% vs 49%).
4. Partisan Differences: Notable except for environmental issues, where Democrats were most likely to cite media influence.
5. Other Topics: Public attention was lower for international events (G-20, UN) despite prominent media coverage. Public awareness was high for the Iran nuclear facility and Southeast floods.
6. Methodology: The report combines data from the News Interest Index (measuring public attention) and the News Coverage Index (cataloging media coverage).

In essence, the debate over health care reform dominated the news agenda, with the media playing a less significant role in shaping public views on economic and health issues compared to other topics like the wars or environmental issues, where media influence was stronger and personal experiences played a smaller part.