<http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=394>
> Public interest in news about the presidential campaign reached a
> new high during the week of Super Tuesday when voting took place in
> more than 20 states nationwide. Four-in-ten Americans (39%)
> followed news about candidates for the 2008 presidential election
> very closely, while 45% say they followed election news more
> closely than any other story last week.
>
> Coverage of the campaign dominated the news cycle reaching its high
> point for the year at 55% of the weekly newshole. These high
> numbers for coverage and interest rival last year's most covered
> news story, the Virginia Tech shootings. More than half the
> national newshole was devoted to the shootings the week of April
> 16, and 56% of the public followed the story more closely than any
> other.
>
> Public interest in news about the presidential campaign this past
> week was higher than in comparable time periods during the last
> several election cycles. Fewer than three-in-ten followed campaign
> news very closely following Super Tuesdays in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
> Public interest in the 1992 Super Tuesday campaign was comparable
> to interest in this year's contest (35% followed very closely in
> March of 1992 and 39% today)
Table shows:
following campaign...
very closely 39% fairly closely 37 not too closely 15 not at all 9