PEJ New Media Index: The Flotilla Fallout Leads the Blogosphere Again

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PEJ New Media Index: The Flotilla Fallout Leads the Blogosphere Again

For the second week in a row, the deadly May 31 clash between Israeli soldiers and a ship headed for the Gaza Strip was the leading subject for bloggers. But the conversation changed markedly. Two weeks ago, critics of Israel dominated the blogosphere. Last week, supporters of its military actions weighed in with their response.

From June 7-11, 15% of the news links on blogs were about the Middle East clash, according to the New Media Index from the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. While still the No. 1 story, attention dropped significantly from the previous week (32%) as a number of subjects vied for bloggers' attention.

The blogosphere conversation often involves cultural or political topics that stir intense passions and that is certainly the case with the seemingly intractable Mideast conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Most bloggers who discussed the subject last week agreed with a June 4 opinion piece by Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer who defended Israel's blockade of Gaza and its response to the Turkish ship. Many also criticized President Obama, claiming he has not stood with Israel against its enemies.

Read the full report, The Flotilla Fallout Leads the Blogosphere Again, on the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism Web site.

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