Economy Remains Atop the News Agenda

The swift passage and signing of the landmark tax bill drove the economy to the No. 1 spot in the news agenda last week.

From December 12-19, the economy accounted for 26% of the newshole studied in the weekly news index of the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism. That is somewhat less than the 40% focused on the economy the week before, but is consistent with recent weeks of intense media attention to the subject. More than any other issue, the tax bill drove last week’s economic coverage, accounting for about two-thirds of it. A mix of other items, including the omnibus spending bill, the debate over earmarks, and news about holiday retail sales, were factors, too. While the economy overshadowed all other stories, the No. 2 news event, according to PEJ’s weekly News Coverage Index, was a Virginia federal judge’s challenge to the U.S. health care law. For the first time in many months, the debate about health care policy reappeared, accounting for 5% of the newshole.