Not Enough Good News

In 2007 a study was done to investigate the news put out by the media in America. When asked about which issues get too much attention in the news, 40% of the public said celebrity news. That is more than three times the number citing any other subject. At the time the study was conducted, about 12% of Americans said the media devoted too much attention to the Iraq war, while politics generally, the presidential campaign or crime and violence received 5% each.

 

People were then asked about which stories they thought got too little attention from the news media. The conclusion was that one in ten Americans say the media does not pay enough attention to good things that are happening in the country, including positive outcomes and good deeds done by average citizens. The study showed that people thought the media devotes too little attention to the good news about Iraq and that women are more likely than men to say good news is undercovered.