Libya Again Dominates the News

For the past six weeks, the U.S. mainstream news media have been consumed by two stories. From January 24 (when Egyptian protests erupted) through March 6, Mideast turmoil (34%) and the U.S. economy (18%) have made up more than half of the coverage in the mainstream media studied by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism.

During that time, no other subject has filled more than 3% of the newshole, according to PEJ’s News Coverage Index. The last time we saw two stories command the news agenda for a lengthy period was the eight weeks from September 6, 2010 to October 31, 2010 when the midterm elections filled 28% of the newshole, the economy accounted for another 12% and no other story registered at more than 3%. Last week, from February 28-March 6, the continuing unrest in the Middle East accounted for nearly a third (32%) of the newshole studied. Almost 90% of that coverage involved the fighting in Libya as forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi unleashed counterattacks against anti-government rebels. And Gaddafi’s ability to cling to power in the face of widespread resistance became a significant storyline as the media began to address the difficult and potentially divisive issue of whether the U.S. ought to intervene more directly in the fighting. This marks the fifth time in the past six weeks that the situation in the Mideast has been the No. 1 story.