Two stories—one environmental, one political—dominated the news agenda last week, accounting for more than one-third of the mainstream media coverage.
An almost daily series of developments kept the worsening oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in the headlines. It accounted for 18% of the newshole from May 17-23, according to the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.
For the fifth week in a row, the Gulf spill registered among the top three stories as oil continued to gush from the disabled undersea well, resulting in vivid images of soiled beaches and dead wildlife. Congressional hearings again provided a venue for lawmakers to question the response of oil company BP and the federal government.
Read the full report, Gushing Oil and Voter Anger Top the News on the Pew Research Center's Project ofr Excellence in Journalism Web site.