MEDIA IMPACT PROJECT
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      • FRONTLINE VR STUDY
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      • Measurement System
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  • ABOUT
    • MISSION
    • SERVICES
    • TEAM
    • MIP FELLOWS
    • PARTNERS
  • RESEARCH
    • AFRICA NARRATIVE
    • ACTION CAMPAIGNS
    • FILM DIPLOMACY
    • JOURNALISM STUDIES
    • VIRTUAL REALITY
    • IDEOLOGY & ENTERTAINMENT
    • IMMIGRATION ON TV
  • PUBLICATIONS
    • Africa in the Media
    • IMMERSIVE - VR >
      • FRONTLINE VR STUDY
    • IMMIGRATION
    • HOW TO GUIDES
    • MEASUREMENT >
      • Data Repository
      • Measurement System
    • EXPERTS TALK IMPACT
  • BLOG
  • NEWS & EVENTS
  • CONTACT

​MIP RESEARCH ProjectS

​Proving that media matters
If you want to build your audiences, media research can help
Can a film, program or news piece stir a person to action?  Does media help formulate our beliefs? Sway our opinions? At the Media Impact Project, we spend our days creating new methods to help find answers. We work with premiere partners from media and philanthropy who are interested in learning to what extent documentaries, podcasts, videos, TV programs and stories spurred audiences to action -- whether to push a Donate Now button, share a Tweet, post a photo, or to participate in the democratic process by canvassing, protesting or organizing. We look for projects that serve the social good, and to be a thought leader on research issues in our field. Explore these pages to learn of our areas of interest and how they might help YOU in your own work.
WANT TO INPSIRE CHANGE THROUGH MEDIA? CONSIDER A CULTURAL AUDIT

MIP PROJECTS 

Virtual Reality and Journalism
Politics and Entertainment
America Divided: Exploring wealth and privilege gaps with Norman Lear
African Americans in TV Crime Dramas
Entertainment as Ambassador
Immigration Nation: How are immigrants depicted on television? Check out our report with Define American
Improving narrative around Africa: A major initiative with CrissCross Global and the Ford Foundation
Entertainment as Cultural Changemaker
Middle East Media Initiative

check out all mip publications

What Influences Engagement Online?

A unique partnership between MIP,  the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and  the team at Upworthy, the well-known viral content distributor founded by Eli Pariser in 2012, will bring a wealth of new research to light on viewer response to online content.  In pursuit of its widely popularized mission "to change what the world pays attention to," Upworthy leaders decided to move beyond simply reporting audience reach figures and began to test the site’s ability to impact the advancement of prosocial outcomes. Hoping to generate broad insights into improving media impact for media producers striving to enhance the public good, they conducted a series of experiments, surveys, content analyses, and other investigations related to their mission-based content.

Latest Research & News:

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Immigrants on TV

We partnered with Define American & Hollywood Reporter for Immigration Nation: Exploring Immigrant Portrayals on TV. Check out HR's  article, a column by TV writer Rafael Agustin and the full report. 

A Rallying Cry for Activists? America Divided Takes It To The Streets

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America Divided is a  groundbreaking documentary series that features celebrities including Rosario Dawson, Common and Norman Lear. Broadcast on EPIX, the series worked with civic groups to host screenings and promoted discourse that inspired action among viewers nationwide. Our report looks at how groups organized and acted after viewings and measures the social impact of the series through interviews, surveys with audience members and organizers, and analytics.  ​​Read the case study


The Norman Lear Center's Media Impact Project researches how entertainment and news influence our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge and actions. We work with researchers, film and TV pros, nonprofits, and news organizations, and share our research with all.  We are part of USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.