PEJ News Coverage Index: May 10-16, 2010: The Oil Spill Tops the Kagan Nomination

Report Read time:
PEJ News Coverage Index: May 10-16, 2010: The Oil Spill Tops the Kagan Nomination

The second Supreme Court nomination of Barack Obama's presidency generated significant coverage last week, but failed to surpass the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as the top story.

As the rig—leased by British Petroleum—continued to leak millions of gallons of oil, the saga accounted for 17% of the newshole from May 10-16, according to the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. And in a week in which oil company executives appeared before Congressional hearings, the biggest storyline focused on who was responsible for the disastrous accident.

Since the April 20 explosion of the oil rig that triggered the spill, the story has continued to display strong staying power. While coverage was down modestly from the previous week (20%), this marked the fourth consecutive week the subject was among the top five in the mainstream media, according to PEJ's News Coverage Index.

The second-biggest story of the week was the nomination of U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, at 13% of the newshole. While her nomination generated coverage and commentary, it lagged well behind the attention paid to Obama's selection of Justice Sonia Sotomayor last year.  Driven by attention to her Latina heritage and the emergence of race as an issue, the Sotomayor nomination filled 24% of the newshole from May 25-31, 2009.

View the full article, The Oil Spill Tops the Kagan Nomination, on the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism Web site.

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up

MORE FROM PEW

An aerial view of a vast wetland, with scattered vegetation visible on sandy islands. In Western Australia, a Conservation Model for the World
A presentation being given by a businesswoman to a group of participants at a business conference. Four Plan Features Can Boost 'Retirement Readiness'
A large group of people in formal or traditional attire stands together on a stage, with a digital background depicting marine life and the large text “WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.” WTO Needs to Redouble Its Effort on Fishing Subsidies
A man in a winter hat and sunglasses kneels on a rocky shoreline in front of a campfire, holding a metal mug with gloved hands. Behind him, in the water, a motorboat is moored to the shore. Cliffs rise on both sides of the water. Why Newfoundland’s South Coast Fjords Are Sacred
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics
Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?

Pills illustration
Pills illustration

What Is Antibiotic Resistance—and How Can We Fight It?

Sign up for our four-week email series The Race Against Resistance.
Quick View
Pills illustration

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as “superbugs,” are a major threat to modern medicine. But how does resistance work, and what can we do to slow the spread? Read personal stories, expert accounts, and more for the answers to those questions in our four-week email series: Slowing Superbugs.