Two dramatic breaking events and two long-simmering story lines were among a list of subjects competing for media attention in an unusually heavy news week, according to PEJ's News Coverage Index from February 25-March 2, 2007.
The breaking news stories were very different kinds of events—tornadoes in the South and a financial plunge on Wall Street. The simmering, slower developing subjects were the growing controversy about treatment of soldiers at home—for the second week running—and the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.
They joined two stories that typically dominate the Index—the 2008 Presidential race and the debate over Iraq policy—on the roster of top stories last week.
The devastating March 1 tornadoes that swept through the South and left 20 dead was the fourth biggest story (filling 6% of the overall newshole). The Dow' s 416-point freefall on February 27—the biggest single day loss since after 9/11—was right behind as fifth biggest story (6%).
Read the full article and view charts on the Project for Excellence in Journalism Web site.