Lindsay N. Green-Barber, Ph.D. ACLS Public Fellow, CIR Media Impact - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Lindsay N. Green-Barber, Ph.D. ACLS Public Fellow, CIR Media Impact Analyst @WhimsicaLinds

Context: Impact 1. Media 2. Non-profit media 3. Foundations 4. Large donors 5. Audiences

News The New York Times ProPublica Poynter Investigative Reporting Workshop Research Tow Center Impact Nieman Lab USC Media Impact Project Foundations Knight Foundation The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation The Fledgling Fund

Challenges in Impact Analysis Lack of standards Question of engagement Overabundance of online analytics Offline activity

Impact = change in the status quo as a result of a direct intervention, be it a text article, a documentary film, or a live event. Conceptualization Macro Meso Micro

Case study 1: Rape in the Fields Rape in the Fields

Organic pickup in media

Organic community screenings

Case study 2: VA Disability Claims Backlog A Disability Claims Backlog

Response ● Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America issues news release ● Newspaper Editorials (NY Times, LA Times) ● The Daily Show picks up cause, cites CIR in “Red Tape Diaries” ● VA Secretary Shinseki gives first interview in four years ● 67 Senators write to Obama ● 160 members of the House of Representatives write to Obama

Text analysis • Data set: Presidential speeches that include the words “veteran” and “backlog” • 22 total, 17 relevant

Findings 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 3 instances 7 instances 1 instance 2 instances 2 instances 1 military 2 military 1 military 2 military 2 military Funding Progress Increase Funding Attack Tech Funding Funding Tech Progress Tech Tech Attack

Key takeaways • Set goals • Define outcomes clearly • Select appropriate methods • Tools come last