2011-12-12-皮尤-Public_Focuses_on_Elections,_Economy_and_Penn_State_9页_49kb

Report Overview: The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press conducted a weekly News Interest Index survey from December 8-11, 2011, among 1,008 adults, assessing public interest in major news stories and comparing it to media coverage analyzed by the Project for Excellence in Journalism. This survey and media coverage index focused on events such as the 2012 presidential elections, the U.S. economy, the Penn State sex abuse scandal, and other topics.

Key Findings on Public Interest:

• Very closely followed stories: About 27% said they followed the 2012 presidential elections very closely; 24% followed the Penn State sex abuse scandal very closely; and 41% followed news about the U.S. economy very closely.
• Other topics with lower public interest: For example, the Penn State scandal also drew high interest (24% very closely), but compared to media coverage, it was less prominent in news outlets.

Media Coverage Highlights:

• Leading coverage: The 2012 presidential campaign accounted for 24% of the newshole; the economy related to debates and policies, 13% (rising to 14% including Occupy Wall Street protests); and efforts to deal with the European debt crisis, 9%.
• Contrast with public interest: Certain stories, like the Penn State scandal, received only 2% of media coverage, highlighting a divergence between public focus and media emphasis.

Demographic Insights: Republicans showed higher interest in the 2012 elections as their top story, while Democrats and independents were more focused on the economy and scandals. Overall, economic news remained steady, with public attention closely tracking recent issues.

Event Comparisons: Data shows sustained interest in scandals (e.g., Penn State) and elections, with media coverage trends reflecting policy debates and global events, while social issues like Anti-Wall Street protests received moderate attention.

Methodology: The survey used telephone interviews with a mix of landline and cell phone respondents, weighted to ensure representation, with confidence intervals noted. This ongoing project tracks how public attention aligns with media reporting.