Snaps: How major media outlets are covering the Occupy Wall Street arrests

The ongoing meme around these protests has been a lack of coverage. Today, to us at the very least, it seems like we’re reaching a moment where the protests might finally leap over the edge and become a bigger story. Or will it? We just did a check of the coverage, and it looks like while it’s getting relatively big play right now on various news sites, other sites are playing this current news story fairly small on the front page. Click through to the jump to see a breakdown.

Major/centerpiece play

• New York Times: Centerpiece With a number of photos at their disposal and a compelling story to tell (their own reporter got arrested), the story got major play without any trouble whatsoever.
• New York Daily News: Top tease It didn’t beat out the Yankees for the top story, but the arrests did get above-the-fold play, complete with a very tabloidy kicker: “Chaos & Cuffs.” Well-played.

Large/significant play

• New York Post: Top tease The play of this was actually very similar to the New York Daily News — second tease in the slideshow, on the top of the page. The only major difference? A giant “Dexter” ad.
• MSNBC: Top tease While it wasn’t played majorly, losing out, again, to baseball, it did earn an above-the-fold spot, which, considering the site’s dense front-page style, is actually pretty prominent.

Minor story play

• Washington Post: Lower tease The Post originally had this story further down the page with just a text tease, but as we were working on this, it got significantly better play (and a jump in arrest numbers).
• CNN: Below the fold With a tiny headline, the story got passed over by Obama’s speech to the Human Rights Commission and a feature on the anthrax outbreak from a decade ago.

Limited/nonexistent story play

• NPR: Stock AP tease The news radio organization, which took heat for its lacking coverage this week, didn’t have a story about the Occupy Wall Street protests up until a few minutes ago.
• Fox News: Nonexistent The only mention of the arrests on Fox News’ front page came in the form of a buried tease to the New York Post. They had a story on the Boston protests, however.

» So what do you think? Enough? Is this a turning point in the coverage of the Occupy Wall Street protests? Or does more need to happen? We’re curious. We’ll be watching this whole mess closely.

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