As the overall coverage fell, so did the number of longer stories. In 1992, the networks ran 226 stories of two and half minutes or longer. But in 1996, they ran just 74 long reports. And that was decrease of 67 percent (Related Chart).

Well, joining me now, as he will every Friday until election day, Steve Hess of the Brookings Institution.

And we're looking forward to having you with us every week.

STEPHEN HESS, PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Steve, why is it important to do this kind of a study?

HESS: Well, to begin with, more people still get their news from over the air broadcast television than any other source, and particularly from the nightly news. And still, it may be in decline, but there's still over 20 million people that are watching.

Why did it drop like that? I mean, it just took a dive. Was it simply that one, '92 was an interesting election and '96 was not, or is there something else go going on here?

Is it something that has to do with the reorientation of these programs away from political news is. Is this something in which the counting house is winning over the news rooms?

WOODRUFF: And just quickly Steve, you're also looking at the negativity of some stories, are you not?

HESS: Yes, I'm looking at the negativity of the stories, which are very high, and there's a lot of scholars that think that this is creating a cynicism toward government in the United States (Related Charts).

We'll look at that; we'll look at the objectivity of this; we'll look at how the stories break between substance stories and horse-race stories, and does that make any difference (Related Charts).

WOODRUFF: All right. Well, Steve Hess, we are very much looking forward to having with you us every week and we'll be looking for the results of your study.

HESS: Thanks so much.

WOODRUFF: Thanks a lot. Great to have you with us.

And along with his appearances on INSIDE POLITICS, Steve Hess is writing a weekly column for "USA Today." The first one runs on Monday.