As gas prices skyrocket, Americans are finding more bad than good in the news, according to a new study.
The Pew Research Center found in its March News Interest Index survey that rising costs of goods are causing Americans to perceive more negative news on the economy and prices than in previous months.
This month, 38 percent of Americans said they felt news about the economy was “mostly bad,” an increase from 29 percent in February. March data also showed 53 percent of Americans said the news is a “mix of good and bad,” and only 7 percent said it was “mostly good.”
“Mostly bad” news hit a high in December 2008 when 80 percent of Americans reported viewing news negatively. The lowest number of “mostly bad” responses came in January 2011 at 24 percent.
Increasing gas prices are a contributing factor to the rise in perceptions of negative news on economy and prices, according to the News Interest Index. This month, 90 percent of people said news about gas prices was “mostly bad,” compared to 77 percent in February.
Kirby Goidel, mass communication and political science professor, said perception of the news changes with big occurrences, like the recent Tunisian revolution.
“You don’t see big swings unless something big happens,” Goidel said.
Goidel said when prices of necessary products continue to increase, citizens will respond as the issue affects more people.
“People hear this price change in a story … which validates the concern that the cost is too high,” Goidel said.
James Richardson, director of the Public Administration Institute at the E.J. Ourso College of Business, said gas prices are high because of political unrest in the Middle East.
Richardson said the primary input for gasoline is oil.
Richardson also said Egypt is not a major oil supplier, but it is a major oil transporter.
Richardson said Libya produces 2 million barrels a day, which mostly goes to Europe.
President Barack Obama addressed high gas prices in a news conference Friday, acknowledging the crisis would affect gas prices, but “other oil-producing nations have committed to filling any gaps.”
“As long as our economy depends on foreign oil, we’ll always be subject to price spikes,” Obama said.
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Richardson said even if the United States does not use Libyan oil, it will go to other parts of the world, affecting the global market.
“Oil is a global commodity,” Richardson said. “We’re all fighting over the same barrel.”
Deja Trudeaux, art history senior, said she drives to New Orleans every weekend and high gas prices affect her budget.
“I can no longer afford to do some of the things I would like to,” Trudeaux said.
Kim Barber, accounting sophomore, said high gas prices define her decisions about where to drive.
“I left something at home, and [my girlfriend and I] couldn’t go home to get it because we couldn’t afford to fill the tank,” Barber said.
Anna Hurst, English senior, said although the news is negative, something positive may come out of it.
“I view the negative news as positive because if more people make a big deal about it, the more likely it is to change,” Hurst said.
 
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Contact Claire Caillier at [email protected]