The MEDIA IMPACT PROJECT is the research and evaluation arm of The Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. We are a hub for collecting, developing and sharing approaches for measuring the impact of media in order to better understand the role that media plays in changing knowledge, attitudes and behavior among individuals and communities.
We study stories -- in film, TV, documentaries, games, art and news -- and their impact on audiences. And we help media makers, cultural change organizations and foundations understand audiences and how to engage them. |
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Climate Change in Entertainment
In an analysis of TV and film scripts, only 2.8% mention anything about climate change. An accompanying survey of 2,000 Americans found that few can identify a fictional TV or film addressing the climate crisis. But those who are most alarmed about climate change tend to also be more hopeful about solutions and want to see these stories in fictional entertainment. This research was done in collaboration with Good Energy.
Read the report. PRESS: LA Times | The Hollywood Reporter | The Guardian | Teen Vogue |
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Alzheimer's and NBC's 'This is Us'
Our Hollywood, Health & Society program collaborated with researchers at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Public Health in a study of the impact of the Alzheimer's disease storyline in season 4 of NBC's This is Us. Researchers used survey and focus groups to examine its affects on audiences. The results were published in the Journal of Health Communication.
Read UPITT's study. PRESS: HealthDay News |
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, the film and TV industry, nonprofits, and news organizations, and share our research with the public. We are part of the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
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