The Associated Press has released it’s Top Ten News Stories of 2007, as voted by its member editors and news directors:
Here are 2007’s top 10 stories, as voted by AP members:
1. VIRGINIA TECH KILLINGS:
2. MORTGAGE CRISIS:
3. IRAQ WAR:
4. OIL PRICES:
5. CHINESE EXPORTS:
6. GLOBAL WARMING:
7. BRIDGE COLLAPSE: (Minnesota)
8. PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN:
9. IMMIGRATION DEBATE:
10. IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM:
Read the details, along with runners-up and a few comments, at the link above.
Personally, I think they are way off base. “Global warming” a huge story? It’s a major issue, but what was the earth-shattering story this year? “Immigration debate” – ditto: big issue, but no particular story was driving headlines on it. While the same might be said of “Presidential campaign,” the sheer number of stories on it, and its importance, should rate it even higher.
Let me try and cobble together my own list:
1. Progress in Iraq/”The Surge”
2. Iran nuclear program.
3. Presidential campaign
4. Commodity prices (including oil)
5. Sarkozy elected French President
6. Chinese product recalls
7. Chavez referendum fails
8. Mortgage meltdown
9. Crackdown in Myanmar
10. California wildfires
(NOTE: As a matter of principle, I would never consider giving the publicity-seeking murderers in the tragic violence at Virginia Tech or the Omaha mall the posthumous attention they crave by including those crimes as a “top story.” Anything which tends to elevate such acts to a status beyond base acts of depravity is, IMO, asking for more such villainy).
My nomination for the #1 story of the year which was completely ignored by the media: the performance of the United States economy. Despite the high costs of the Iraq War, energy and other commodity costs riding a spike based on the weakened dollar and speculation, the sub-prime mortgage debacle, and volatile equity markets, the economy has demonstrated strong, steady, non-inflationary growth with rising real incomes, employment, business profits, and productivity. You wouldn’t know it by reading the Associated Press, of course . . .
Feel free to submit your own lists in comments – which, I am sure, will be as valid and well-considered as AP’s or my own . . .
