News Interest Index: Public Sees Too Much Personal Coverage of Obama

Most Americans say that the news media has devoted too much coverage to Barack Obama's family and personal life during his first months as president, but the right amount of coverage to his leadership style and his policy proposals.

The latest weekly News Interest Index survey, conducted April 24-27 by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, finds that just over half (53%) of the public says there has been too much coverage of Obama's family and personal life, while 40% say the amount of coverage has been about right. Just 4% say there has been too little on this topic.

 By contrast, the public believes news organizations are devoting the right amount of coverage to Obama's leadership style and the way he is managing his job (60% right amount) and the policies he has proposed (58%). In terms of policy proposals, however, more than twice as many say there has been too little coverage than too much coverage (27% vs. 12%). 

Read the full report Public Sees Too Much Personal Coverage of Obama on the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press' Web site.