PEJ News Coverage Index: Feb. 22 - 28, 2010, After Lengthy Hiatus, Health Care Dominates Again

PEJ News Coverage Index: Feb. 22 - 28, 2010, After Lengthy Hiatus, Health Care Dominates Again

Fueled by the spectacle of a televised bi-partisan meeting on the deeply polarizing issue, the health care debate re-ignited last week to dominate the news agenda.

From February 22-28, health care was the No. 1 story, filling 24% of the newshole according to the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. That represented a dramatic spike in coverage for a subject that accounted for only 4% of the newshole the previous week and had been recently overshadowed by the economy, the Haiti earthquake and big snowstorms.

Two closely related events fueled the narrative, according to PEJ's weekly News Coverage Index. First came President Obama's February 22 unveiling of his White House health care plan. That was followed, three days later, by the Blair House summit that much of the media viewed a fascinating exercise that did little but highlight the gaping chasm between Republicans and Democrats.

The No. 2 story last week, at 11%, was the U.S. economy. And a key storyline was a rare display of bi-partisanship in the Senate with the passage of a jobs bill.

Read the full report After Lengthy Hiatus, Health Care Dominates Again 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

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
Article

37 Scientists Pioneering the Future of Biomedical Research

Quick View
Article

Biomedical researchers are at the heart of nearly every medical advancement. From cutting-edge cancer treatments to breakthrough discoveries about emerging viruses, these scientists use creativity and ingenuity to explore new horizons in human health and medicine. And for nearly 40 years, The Pew Charitable Trusts has supported more than 1,000 early-career researchers committed to this work.

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?