Oil prices grab headlines – Fox news least negative

Coverage of Hurricane Katrina - U.S. T.V. News Aug 24th – Sept 6th 2005

Despite the fact that overall coverage ratings based on news from NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox nosedived post Katrina, Fox news led coverage in terms of volume and maintained the least amount of negativity. Ratings seemed to improve around the 5th of September, but took a turn for the worse after the 6th of September. .

In the aftermath of Katrina, fuel prices made headlines and concerns about the impact the hurricane would have on the economy gained prominence. Human interest stories about survivors, though evident, were almost on par, in terms of volume, with stories about the reconstruction of Iraq..

Media Tenor Research Institute analyzed coverage from news shows on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox for the period of August 24th-September 6th 2005..

Oil refineries in the Gulf-Coast were hard-hit by Katrina and the consequent impact on gas prices is not surprising. However, th e extent of coverage that the issue received, both in terms of fuel prices as well as impact on the economy was predominantly negative. .

The fact that ratings fell although there was an increase in volume of coverage indicates that most of the negative coverage came after relief efforts for Katrina were underway. This was mainly due to negative reporting on the administration’s relief response, which is hopefully a short-term trend..