PEJ News Coverage Index: June 29 - July 5, 2009, As the Plot Thickens, the Jackson Saga Dominates

Report Read time:
PEJ News Coverage Index: June 29 - July 5, 2009, As the Plot Thickens, the Jackson Saga Dominates

In a week when the U.S. withdrew in Iraq and attacked in Afghanistan, when the governor of California declared an economic emergency and the governor of Alaska stepped down, it was Michael Jackson who drove the news agenda.

The dominant story ever since he died on June 25, the fascination with Jackson's life and death filled 17% of the newshole from June 29-July 5, according to the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. That narrative was driven by several storylines. While part of the coverage continued to focus on his legacy as an entertainer and his still vibrant fan base, more ominous strains emerged including growing questions about whether drugs played a role in his death and the prospect of a legal wrangle over his estate and children.

In that respect, the Jackson narrative conjured up one other celebrity death that registered as a major story since PEJ began its News Index two years ago. Media attention to Anna Nicole Smith's sudden demise in February 2007 was also fueled by the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death and a bruising court fight. (Although the Smith melodrama generated substantial coverage for several weeks, the Jackson story has thus far received about twice as much attention.)

As was also true in the Smith case, the Jackson frenzy has largely been a television story—due in no small measure to the plentiful footage documenting his career. (Last week, concert promoters released video of Jackson rehearsing two days before he died.) The Jackson story filled 30% of the airtime studied on network news and 28% on cable news last week. Within the network news universe, the more feature-oriented morning shows spent more than half their time (56%) on the story compared with 20% in the evening.

Heavy TV attention will likely continue this week (not included in this report) thanks in part to coverage of the memorial service in the Staples Center and the presence of the network anchors who are traditionally dispatched from the studio to cover what are deemed the most newsworthy events.

Read the full report As the Plot Thickens, the Jackson Saga Dominates 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

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

MORE FROM PEW

About a dozen people stand examining large blue bins full of whole fish in a warehouse. Some people are in green clothes, others in blue, and all wear ballcaps. A few hold clipboards. Reducing Risk Strengthens the Seafood Supply Chain
A worker in a seafood market dumps bright orange shrimp from a blue bin onto a bed of ice between a lot of other seafood laid out for sale. Other workers are visible in the background, as are the arms of shoppers placing orders from the other side of the ice bed. Seafood Industry Benefits From Greater Vessel Transparency
An aerial view of a vast wetland, with scattered vegetation visible on sandy islands. In Western Australia, a Conservation Model for the World
A presentation being given by a businesswoman to a group of participants at a business conference. Four Plan Features Can Boost 'Retirement Readiness'
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?

Pills illustration
Pills illustration

What Is Antibiotic Resistance—and How Can We Fight It?

Sign up for our four-week email series The Race Against Resistance.
Quick View
Pills illustration

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as “superbugs,” are a major threat to modern medicine. But how does resistance work, and what can we do to slow the spread? Read personal stories, expert accounts, and more for the answers to those questions in our four-week email series: Slowing Superbugs.