In the News
2023
Grist. The next cameo on your favorite TV show could be climate change. May 17, 2023.
Washington Post. Audiences want a different climate change message. Hollywood should deliver. May 17, 2023
Annenberg Media. Extrapolations: Visualizing climate realities through fiction. May 16, 2023.
KXAN-TV. Mentions of climate change in scripted entertainment largely absent. March 27, 2023.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Post-'The Whale,' Pitt researchers to study fat representation in film, TV. March 23, 2023.
Forbes. 68 Climate Leaders Changing The Film And TV Industry. March 19, 2023.
The Atlantic. Climate activists are turning their attention to Hollywood. March 16, 2023.
New York Times. Hollywood's Climate Advisor. March 10, 2023
Time. Academy Award Best Picture Nominees are Increasingly Grappling with Climate Change. March 9, 2023.
Fast Company. 'The visuals of today help create the reality of tomorrow:’ Why Hollywood is finally tackling climate change onscreen. February 28, 2023.
Grist. The next cameo on your favorite TV show could be climate change. May 17, 2023.
Washington Post. Audiences want a different climate change message. Hollywood should deliver. May 17, 2023
Annenberg Media. Extrapolations: Visualizing climate realities through fiction. May 16, 2023.
KXAN-TV. Mentions of climate change in scripted entertainment largely absent. March 27, 2023.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Post-'The Whale,' Pitt researchers to study fat representation in film, TV. March 23, 2023.
Forbes. 68 Climate Leaders Changing The Film And TV Industry. March 19, 2023.
The Atlantic. Climate activists are turning their attention to Hollywood. March 16, 2023.
New York Times. Hollywood's Climate Advisor. March 10, 2023
Time. Academy Award Best Picture Nominees are Increasingly Grappling with Climate Change. March 9, 2023.
Fast Company. 'The visuals of today help create the reality of tomorrow:’ Why Hollywood is finally tackling climate change onscreen. February 28, 2023.
2022
NPR. How Hollywood gets wildfires all wrong — much to the frustration of firefighters. December 27, 2022.
USA Today. Despite gains, immigrant characters on TV remain one-dimensional and too often linked to crime. December 18, 2022.
Forbes. Define American Releases In-Depth Research On Immigrant Representation On Television. December 14, 2022.
The Hollywood Reporter. Latino Immigrant Representation on TV Decreases, Black and API Immigrants Up. December 6, 2022.
Financial Times. Amazon’s ‘The Rig’ shows how TV drama is waking up to the climate crisis. December 2022.
Los Angeles Times. The Climate Crisis is Ready for its Close Up. November 7, 2022.
The Hollywood Reporter. Good Energy Project, USC’s Media Impact Lab Release New Study on the Presence of Climate Change in Scripted Entertainment. October 12, 2022.
Variety. Scripted TV and Movies Ignore Climate Change Concerns in Storytelling. October 12, 2022.
Teen Vogue. TV Shows Are Starting to Reference Climate Change In Plots and Dialogue. October 10, 2022.
The Guardian. ‘This is part of our world now’: can TV shows adequately reflect the climate crisis? October 4, 2022.
Deadline Hollywood. TV Gun Violence “Ubiquitous,” Victims “Disproportionately” White & “Rare” Depictions Of Gun Safety Have “Positive” Impacts On Viewers. September 29, 2022.
Prevention. A New Study Finds ‘This Is Us’ Helped Destigmatize Alzheimer’s Disease—Here’s How. September 12, 2022.
Today Show. ‘This Is Us’ has created positive change for the Alzheimer’s community, study finds. September 9, 2022.
HealthDay News. How 'This is Us." put the Alzheimer's care in the spotlight. September 1, 2022.
The 19th. Movies and TV don’t portray how domestic workers really live, new report shows. July 6, 2022.
Fast Company. Hollywood’s portrayal of domestic workers is a barrier to their real-life humanization. June 15, 2022.
The Wrap: Domestic Workers Call for Hollywood to Clean Up Its Act Depicting Their Lives on Screen. June 14, 2022.
PENN Today. How do media depictions of tobacco influence smoking decisions for young adults? June 1, 2022.
CNN. Hollywood barely talks about the climate crisis. This group wants to change that. April 22, 2022.
The New York Times. Disney, Built on Fairy Tales and Fantasy, Confronts the Real World. April 17, 2022.
Associated Press. From Hollywood’s illusion factory, some unexpected reality. March 29, 2022.
Associated Press. In wartime battle over imagery, so far it hasn’t been close. March 2, 2022.
Plastics News. A Hollywood Push to Snub Single-use Plastics on Screen. February 7, 2022.
NPR. How Hollywood gets wildfires all wrong — much to the frustration of firefighters. December 27, 2022.
USA Today. Despite gains, immigrant characters on TV remain one-dimensional and too often linked to crime. December 18, 2022.
Forbes. Define American Releases In-Depth Research On Immigrant Representation On Television. December 14, 2022.
The Hollywood Reporter. Latino Immigrant Representation on TV Decreases, Black and API Immigrants Up. December 6, 2022.
Financial Times. Amazon’s ‘The Rig’ shows how TV drama is waking up to the climate crisis. December 2022.
Los Angeles Times. The Climate Crisis is Ready for its Close Up. November 7, 2022.
The Hollywood Reporter. Good Energy Project, USC’s Media Impact Lab Release New Study on the Presence of Climate Change in Scripted Entertainment. October 12, 2022.
Variety. Scripted TV and Movies Ignore Climate Change Concerns in Storytelling. October 12, 2022.
Teen Vogue. TV Shows Are Starting to Reference Climate Change In Plots and Dialogue. October 10, 2022.
The Guardian. ‘This is part of our world now’: can TV shows adequately reflect the climate crisis? October 4, 2022.
Deadline Hollywood. TV Gun Violence “Ubiquitous,” Victims “Disproportionately” White & “Rare” Depictions Of Gun Safety Have “Positive” Impacts On Viewers. September 29, 2022.
Prevention. A New Study Finds ‘This Is Us’ Helped Destigmatize Alzheimer’s Disease—Here’s How. September 12, 2022.
Today Show. ‘This Is Us’ has created positive change for the Alzheimer’s community, study finds. September 9, 2022.
HealthDay News. How 'This is Us." put the Alzheimer's care in the spotlight. September 1, 2022.
The 19th. Movies and TV don’t portray how domestic workers really live, new report shows. July 6, 2022.
Fast Company. Hollywood’s portrayal of domestic workers is a barrier to their real-life humanization. June 15, 2022.
The Wrap: Domestic Workers Call for Hollywood to Clean Up Its Act Depicting Their Lives on Screen. June 14, 2022.
PENN Today. How do media depictions of tobacco influence smoking decisions for young adults? June 1, 2022.
CNN. Hollywood barely talks about the climate crisis. This group wants to change that. April 22, 2022.
The New York Times. Disney, Built on Fairy Tales and Fantasy, Confronts the Real World. April 17, 2022.
Associated Press. From Hollywood’s illusion factory, some unexpected reality. March 29, 2022.
Associated Press. In wartime battle over imagery, so far it hasn’t been close. March 2, 2022.
Plastics News. A Hollywood Push to Snub Single-use Plastics on Screen. February 7, 2022.
2021
HIV at 40. When It Comes to HIV and AIDS, the Screen Has Gone Blank. December 1, 2021.
Washington Post. Joan Didion, who chronicled American decadence and hypocrisy, dies at 87. December 23, 2021.
Wall Street Journal. Do Covid-19 Vaccines Belong on TV? Hollywood Can’t Decide. October 15, 2021.
Treehugger.com. Research Aims to 'Flip the Script' on Single-Use Plastics in Hollywood. November 5, 2021.
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. What Western Media Gets Wrong About Africa. June 30, 2021.
NPR. How TV Dramas Informed And Misinformed Perceptions Of The War On Drugs. June 18, 2021.
Variety. TV’s War on Poverty: Showrunners Talk Changing Portrayals of Class. March 25, 2021.
PopSugar. Why Political Activism Can't — and Shouldn't — Stop After the Inauguration. January 20, 2021.
HIV at 40. When It Comes to HIV and AIDS, the Screen Has Gone Blank. December 1, 2021.
Washington Post. Joan Didion, who chronicled American decadence and hypocrisy, dies at 87. December 23, 2021.
Wall Street Journal. Do Covid-19 Vaccines Belong on TV? Hollywood Can’t Decide. October 15, 2021.
Treehugger.com. Research Aims to 'Flip the Script' on Single-Use Plastics in Hollywood. November 5, 2021.
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. What Western Media Gets Wrong About Africa. June 30, 2021.
NPR. How TV Dramas Informed And Misinformed Perceptions Of The War On Drugs. June 18, 2021.
Variety. TV’s War on Poverty: Showrunners Talk Changing Portrayals of Class. March 25, 2021.
PopSugar. Why Political Activism Can't — and Shouldn't — Stop After the Inauguration. January 20, 2021.
2020
Cronkite News. Immigrants and TV. December 7, 2020.
CNN. These three charts show Trump and Biden's favorite TV shows for campaign ads. October 27, 2020.
The Wrap. Why Immigrant Storylines on TV Are So Important for Real-Life Immigration Issues. September 23, 2020.
Deadline. Define American Report Finds Representation Of Immigrants On Television Needs Improvement. September 23, 2020.
The Huffington Post. Researchers Studied A Year Of Scripted TV. Immigrant Stories Still Don’t Reflect Reality. September 23, 2020.
USA Today. TV shows exaggerate the number of undocumented immigrants, but nuanced portrayals can educate. September 23, 2020.
Quartz. US immigrants are three times more likely to be undocumented on TV than in real life. September 23, 2020.
The Guardian. Immigrant representation on TV over-emphasizes criminality, study finds. September 23, 2020.
The Hollywood Reporter. TV Portrayals of Immigrants Often Emphasize Undocumented Status. September 23, 2020.
Variety. Immigrant Stories on TV are Predominantly Latinx and About Deportation (Study). September 23, 2020.
Los Angeles Times. These TV shows are changing the way we see immigrants, a new study finds. September 23, 2020.
Morning Consult. America’s most beloved shows differ from this year's Emmy nominees. September 16, 2020.
New York Times. Color of Change: Tackling systemic racism one strategy at a time. September 5, 2020.
CNN. What many Africans are hoping to see in Beyonce's 'Black is King.' July 28, 2020
Variety. DACA workers need industry's help to make their Hollywood dreams come true. June 23, 2020
Daily News. Television's fictional men and women in blue have swayed the public perception of police work. June 15, 2020
The Washington Post. Police officers are often glorified on TV shows. Here's what it looks like when they aren't. June 10, 2020
Los Angeles Times. Dick Wolf packed TV with hero cops. Critics say that's part of what's 'killing us'. June 9, 2020
Los Angeles Times. Want to talk about policing on TV? Here are some damning stats you should know. June 5, 2020
USA Today. Coronavirus masks set the tone in fashion, politics and industry. June 2, 2020
IndieWire. Crime TV series distort your understanding of law enforcement, survey says. June 1, 2020
Africa.com. The true cost of Africa's narrative. May, 2020
CNN. Your favorite crime shows hinder this life-and-death cause. March 9, 2020
Chicago Tribune. Do cop shows like ‘Chicago P.D.’ reinforce misperceptions about race and criminal justice? A new study says yes. February 11, 2020
National Public Radio. TV cop shows affect real-world policing, study says. February 6, 2020
BoingBoing. A new study further confirms that most crime TV shows are good PR for cops. Jan. 27, 2020
Variety. Netflix, NBC, ABC lead in depictions of wrongful actions by people of color in crime dramas, study finds. Jan. 21, 2020
IndieWire. New study reveals how crime TV series distort understanding of race and criminal justice system. Jan. 21, 2020
Cronkite News. Immigrants and TV. December 7, 2020.
CNN. These three charts show Trump and Biden's favorite TV shows for campaign ads. October 27, 2020.
The Wrap. Why Immigrant Storylines on TV Are So Important for Real-Life Immigration Issues. September 23, 2020.
Deadline. Define American Report Finds Representation Of Immigrants On Television Needs Improvement. September 23, 2020.
The Huffington Post. Researchers Studied A Year Of Scripted TV. Immigrant Stories Still Don’t Reflect Reality. September 23, 2020.
USA Today. TV shows exaggerate the number of undocumented immigrants, but nuanced portrayals can educate. September 23, 2020.
Quartz. US immigrants are three times more likely to be undocumented on TV than in real life. September 23, 2020.
The Guardian. Immigrant representation on TV over-emphasizes criminality, study finds. September 23, 2020.
The Hollywood Reporter. TV Portrayals of Immigrants Often Emphasize Undocumented Status. September 23, 2020.
Variety. Immigrant Stories on TV are Predominantly Latinx and About Deportation (Study). September 23, 2020.
Los Angeles Times. These TV shows are changing the way we see immigrants, a new study finds. September 23, 2020.
Morning Consult. America’s most beloved shows differ from this year's Emmy nominees. September 16, 2020.
New York Times. Color of Change: Tackling systemic racism one strategy at a time. September 5, 2020.
CNN. What many Africans are hoping to see in Beyonce's 'Black is King.' July 28, 2020
Variety. DACA workers need industry's help to make their Hollywood dreams come true. June 23, 2020
Daily News. Television's fictional men and women in blue have swayed the public perception of police work. June 15, 2020
The Washington Post. Police officers are often glorified on TV shows. Here's what it looks like when they aren't. June 10, 2020
Los Angeles Times. Dick Wolf packed TV with hero cops. Critics say that's part of what's 'killing us'. June 9, 2020
Los Angeles Times. Want to talk about policing on TV? Here are some damning stats you should know. June 5, 2020
USA Today. Coronavirus masks set the tone in fashion, politics and industry. June 2, 2020
IndieWire. Crime TV series distort your understanding of law enforcement, survey says. June 1, 2020
Africa.com. The true cost of Africa's narrative. May, 2020
CNN. Your favorite crime shows hinder this life-and-death cause. March 9, 2020
Chicago Tribune. Do cop shows like ‘Chicago P.D.’ reinforce misperceptions about race and criminal justice? A new study says yes. February 11, 2020
National Public Radio. TV cop shows affect real-world policing, study says. February 6, 2020
BoingBoing. A new study further confirms that most crime TV shows are good PR for cops. Jan. 27, 2020
Variety. Netflix, NBC, ABC lead in depictions of wrongful actions by people of color in crime dramas, study finds. Jan. 21, 2020
IndieWire. New study reveals how crime TV series distort understanding of race and criminal justice system. Jan. 21, 2020
2019
Forbes. A study about the portrayal of immigrants on television offers surprising results. December 31, 2019
Washington Post. Hallmark’s Christmas movies are part of a culture war their viewers are losing. December 23, 2019
NBC News. 'Touching and Triggering': 'Knives Out' sparks question of how to tell immigration stories. December 20, 2019
Newsy. Reality and Commentary: Experts explain TV's immigration storylines. August 27, 2019
Washington Tech Policy Podcast. Johanna Blakley: TV and Politics (Ep. 196). August 14, 2019
The Conversation. Liberals and conservatives have wildly different TV-viewing habits, Johanna Blakley. July 1, 2019
Newsy. Study: Your Favorite Show Might Say A Lot About Your Politics. April 30, 2019
The A.V. Club. Bones, Pawn Stars, and Criminal Minds Might Save Our Fractured Country. April 26, 2019
Washington Examiner. What’s on TV? Madeline Fry. April 26, 2019
Poynter. It’s Blue vs. Red in TV Viewership Habits. April 25, 2019
LA Times. TV Shows ‘Bones’ and ‘Criminal Minds’ Cross Political Divides, a New Study Finds. April 24, 2019
Deadline Hollywood. Study Finds Surprising Connections Between TV Preference And Political Beliefs. April 24, 2019
Vulture. New Study Finds Both Conservatives and Liberals Like Bones. April 24, 2019
National Public Radio. So…Does American TV Ever Mention Africa? March 30, 2019
Forbes. A study about the portrayal of immigrants on television offers surprising results. December 31, 2019
Washington Post. Hallmark’s Christmas movies are part of a culture war their viewers are losing. December 23, 2019
NBC News. 'Touching and Triggering': 'Knives Out' sparks question of how to tell immigration stories. December 20, 2019
Newsy. Reality and Commentary: Experts explain TV's immigration storylines. August 27, 2019
Washington Tech Policy Podcast. Johanna Blakley: TV and Politics (Ep. 196). August 14, 2019
The Conversation. Liberals and conservatives have wildly different TV-viewing habits, Johanna Blakley. July 1, 2019
Newsy. Study: Your Favorite Show Might Say A Lot About Your Politics. April 30, 2019
The A.V. Club. Bones, Pawn Stars, and Criminal Minds Might Save Our Fractured Country. April 26, 2019
Washington Examiner. What’s on TV? Madeline Fry. April 26, 2019
Poynter. It’s Blue vs. Red in TV Viewership Habits. April 25, 2019
LA Times. TV Shows ‘Bones’ and ‘Criminal Minds’ Cross Political Divides, a New Study Finds. April 24, 2019
Deadline Hollywood. Study Finds Surprising Connections Between TV Preference And Political Beliefs. April 24, 2019
Vulture. New Study Finds Both Conservatives and Liberals Like Bones. April 24, 2019
National Public Radio. So…Does American TV Ever Mention Africa? March 30, 2019
Press Releases
March 8, 2023
Nielsen Foundation 2022 grantmaking highlights
September 1, 2022
‘This Is Us’ Alzheimer’s Storyline Reduces Stigma and Promotes Family Discussions.
June 14, 2022
New Report Shows Widespread Misrepresentation of Domestic Workers in Hollywood.
November 17, 2021
Define American Releases Comprehensive Resource Guide for Best Practices on Immigrant Representation in TV and Film.
September 23, 2020
New report finds that immigration storylines foster more inclusive attitudes and can move viewers to action.
January 27, 2020
YouTube, PAFF and The Africa Narrative Announce the Winners for the I Am Africa Short Film Competition.
January 21, 2020
Normalizing Injustice: New Landmark Study by Color Of Change Reveals How Crime TV Shows Distort Understanding Of Race and the Criminal Justice System.
September 12, 2019
The Africa Initiative launched short film competition with YouTube at the Pan African Film Festival.
January 31, 2019
USC Norman Lear Center Unveils Major Initiative to Change the Way Americans See Africa.
April 25, 2018
USC Norman Lear Center and FRONTLINE Explore Best Uses For Immersive Technologies in Journalism.
September 17, 2018
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Wins USC Annenberg’s Rogers Award Internationally Acclaimed Author, Feminist, TED Talker.
July 7, 2014
Media Analytics Strategist Dana Chinn Will Lead USC Annenberg Initiative to Measure Impact of Media.
November 1, 2013
World’s Largest Film Industries Using Entertainment to Improve Lives.
October 11, 2013
Former MTV/Viacom Executive Todd Cunningham to Lead USC Initiative to Measure Social Impact of Media.
April 29, 2013
New Program Funded to Measure Media Impact and Audience Engagement.
February 22, 2012
Research Study Finds that a Film Can Have a Measurable Impact on Audience Behavior.
September 7, 2011
U.S. Hunts White Terrorists, Shuns Torture & Profiling in Primetime War on Terror.
Nielsen Foundation 2022 grantmaking highlights
September 1, 2022
‘This Is Us’ Alzheimer’s Storyline Reduces Stigma and Promotes Family Discussions.
June 14, 2022
New Report Shows Widespread Misrepresentation of Domestic Workers in Hollywood.
November 17, 2021
Define American Releases Comprehensive Resource Guide for Best Practices on Immigrant Representation in TV and Film.
September 23, 2020
New report finds that immigration storylines foster more inclusive attitudes and can move viewers to action.
January 27, 2020
YouTube, PAFF and The Africa Narrative Announce the Winners for the I Am Africa Short Film Competition.
January 21, 2020
Normalizing Injustice: New Landmark Study by Color Of Change Reveals How Crime TV Shows Distort Understanding Of Race and the Criminal Justice System.
September 12, 2019
The Africa Initiative launched short film competition with YouTube at the Pan African Film Festival.
January 31, 2019
USC Norman Lear Center Unveils Major Initiative to Change the Way Americans See Africa.
April 25, 2018
USC Norman Lear Center and FRONTLINE Explore Best Uses For Immersive Technologies in Journalism.
September 17, 2018
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Wins USC Annenberg’s Rogers Award Internationally Acclaimed Author, Feminist, TED Talker.
July 7, 2014
Media Analytics Strategist Dana Chinn Will Lead USC Annenberg Initiative to Measure Impact of Media.
November 1, 2013
World’s Largest Film Industries Using Entertainment to Improve Lives.
October 11, 2013
Former MTV/Viacom Executive Todd Cunningham to Lead USC Initiative to Measure Social Impact of Media.
April 29, 2013
New Program Funded to Measure Media Impact and Audience Engagement.
February 22, 2012
Research Study Finds that a Film Can Have a Measurable Impact on Audience Behavior.
September 7, 2011
U.S. Hunts White Terrorists, Shuns Torture & Profiling in Primetime War on Terror.
Events
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September 21, 2022. Evidence Synthesis and Communications in Diet and Chronic Disease Relationships
Research Director Erica Rosenthal joins this open public meeting on best practices for effective nutrition communications. This webinar explores key considerations about effective science and nutrition communications as they pertain to the message, messenger, mode, and audience. June 27, 2022. Research Spotlight: Media Impact
How do we study media to better understand its impact on society? Managing Director Johanna Blakley provides this overview of our Media Impact Project and the research team's recent efforts studying narratives in TV, film and journalism. June 5, 2022. ATX 2022: Telling Authentic Immigrant Stories on Television
Linda Yvette Chávez (Gentefied), Miranda Kwok (The Cleaning Lady), Melvin Mar (Fresh Off the Boat), and Mike Gauyo (Send Help) discussed their respective journeys bringing nuanced immigrant characters to life on screen, and the need for authentic storytelling spanning a range of immigrant experiences. January 19, 2022. Flip the Script on Plastics in Hollywood: Rethinking Single-Use Plastics in Film & Television
This deep-dive discussion on Flip the Script on Plastics featured MIP researcher Dana Weinstein, joined by Hollywood activists and artists Yareli Arizmendi, Fran Drescher, and Kyra Sedgwick. March 25, 2021. Money Matters: Changing the story of poverty, prosperity & opportunity
Early findings from our study of poverty, prosperity and opportunity narratives in pop culture were shared at this webinar. The event also included writers and producers from the hit shows Pose (FX), Gentefied (Netflix), Queen Sugar (OWN) and New Amsterdam (NBC). |
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September 15, 2020. Original Reporting. Start From the Ashes. A Harvard Nieman Center Podcast.
What can the fashion industry teach the struggling news industry to become more successful and sustaining? Managing Director Johanna Blakley was interviewed in this podcast from Harvard's Nieman Center about the surprising parallels. |
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September 14, 2020. Critical Value. An Urban Institute Podcast
Director of Research Erica Rosenthal talks about our soon-to-be-released research on philanthropy and charitable giving in the media. |
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June 4, 2020. Truth in the Age of COVID: Three steps to combat misinformation.
As the global COVID-19 pandemic threatens public health and global alliances, so does the rising tide of disinformation, creating mistrust in global norms, threatening democratic institutions, and polarizing societies. Managing Director Johanna Blakley joined experts in technology and civil society to discuss how data analytics, awareness-raising, and engaging audiences with appealing media, when combined, enable communities to become more resilient. |
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February 5, 2020. Frank 2020. The Power of Storytelling
Director of Research Erica Rosenthal participated in the annual convening that invites movement builders and thought leaders to help shift mindsets and shape understandings about the field of public interest communications. Rosenthal spoke about harnessing emotion to promote social change through storytelling. |
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January 26, 2020. Moving the Needle. How Immigrant Stories are Shifting American Culture. Park City, UT.
Define American provided an exclusive sneak peek into new research examining how immigrant representation on screen can shift the perception and behavior of audiences across the country. Panelists included journalist/filmmaker Jose Antonio Vargas along with filmmakers and talent from 2020 Sundance films Farewell Amor and Blast Beat. The event was sponsored by the Pop Culture Collaborative and the MacArthur Foundation. |
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October 25, 2019. The Power of Story in a Fractured Society. Los Angeles, CA
The entertainment industry struggles to accurately represent diverse communities on and off the screen. Lear Center Managing Director Johanna Blakley joined journalist Eva Recinos, TV writer/comedian Jenny Yang, actor/activist Kendrick Sampson and the Opportunity Agenda's Lucy Odigie-Turley to wrestle with the question, Can entertainment move us toward a more just society? |
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May 18, 2019. Johanna Blakley on Freakonomics Radio Live! Los Angeles, CA
Lear Center managing director Johanna Blakley joined Stephen Dubner and co-host Angela Duckworth, author of Grit, along with special guests including LA mayor Eric Garcetti. Blakley discussed MIP research study, "Are You What You Watch?: Tracking the Political Divide Through TV Preferences." |
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March 30, 2019. MIP at Science & Cocktails. København, Denmark
A joint venture of Science and Cocktails and CPH:DOX presents a trans-disciplinary evening of science with media/entertainment researcher Johanna Blakley, the screening of the documentary INFORMATION SKIES and the party concert of Trypical Cumbia. All this blended with cloud-like flavors of homemade cocktail recipes. |
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March 8, 2019. Spark Change: Social Impact Entertainment Summit. Los Angeles, CA
Lear Center managing director Johanna Blakley joined the Spark Change Summit 2019, which featured award-winning producers, writers, directors and creatives – all focusing on entertainment that raises awareness, changes behavior, influences policy and catalyzes movements. Presented by the Skoll Center for Social Impact Entertainment at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Creative Visions, and Participant Media, this year’s Summit offered a deep dive into the creation of social impact entertainment projects, campaigns, and the movements they spark. READ: The SIE Report |
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February 19, 2019. Johanna Blakley on BBC Radio 5
Lear Center managing director Johanna Blakley speaks with BBC Radio 5 newsman Peter Bowes on Tuesday, February 19th, from 6-7 PM (PST) on pop culture, social media, movies and the future of awards shows like the Oscars. Listen to the audio here. |
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October 2, 2018. Setting the Story Straight: Rewriting the Narrative on Immigrants in TV. Beverly Hills, CA
The Writers Guild Foundation, in partnership with Define American and The Hollywood Reporter, hosts this discussion featuring writers and actors on how immigrants in America are depicted on television. Held in conjunction with the launch of a research study from Define American and the Lear Center, the panel will explore the nuances of crafting and portraying meaningful immigrant stories for TV as well as how storytellers can make an impact on the audience’s perceptions of immigrants and other marginalized communities. |
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February 1, 2018. USC Facebook Live: Elizabeth Currid-Halkett & Johanna Blakley on Self-Representation.
Watch USC Price School’s Elizabeth Currid-Halkett and the Lear Center’s Johanna Blakley discuss their shared interest in self-representation, in advance of NY Fashion Week (February 8-16). Dr. Currid-Halkett brings her expertise on economic development, cultural economy, social networks and urban growth to the table, while Dr. Blakley’s offers her rich research on media, commerce, fashion and culture. Don’t miss this lively meeting of minds and tastes! |
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Nov 15th - 16th, 2017. Entertainment Education & Media Impact Assessment.
Lear Center Managing Director Johanna Blakley presents on the entertainment education model our Hollywood, Health & Society program uses as well as new work from our Media Impact Project at the Educational Technology and Computational Psychometrics Symposium in Iowa City, IA. |
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August 12, 2017. ILEA Live. Calgary, AB
Lear Center Managing Director Johanna Blakley delivers the keynote address at the 2017 edition of ILEA. Nobody likes to have their ideas stolen, but in an age of “copy & paste” creative professionals must find ways to keep their competitive edge without suing everyone in sight. Because of the lack of copyright protection for apparel, the fashion industry offers a fascinating model for how to succeed without owning your creative output. Blakley explores how fashion designers have developed survival strategies that have boosted their creativity and made them the poster children for innovation in the 21st century. |
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August 5, 2017. Priming Self-Efficacy in the Media: Experimental Research on Solutions Journalism. Washington, D.C.
Lear Center Director of Research Beth Karlin begins her one-year term as President of APA Division 34 (Environmental Psychology) at the 2017 American Psychological Association Convention in Washington, D.C. Karlin will present her talk “Priming Self-Efficacy in the Media: Experimental Research on Solutions Journalism”. |
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April 5, 2017. Experimental Research on Solutions Journalism. Washington, D.C.
Lear Center Director of Research Beth Karlin began her one-year term as President of APA Division 34 (Environmental Psychology) at the 2017 American Psychological Association Convention in Washington, D.C. Karlin presented “Priming Self-Efficacy in the Media: Experimental Research on Solutions Journalism”. |
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July 14, 2017. Human Computer Interaction International (HC11) Conference. Vancouver, BC
Lear Center Director of Research Beth Karlin participated in the Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality track at the Human Computer Interaction International (HCII) Conference in Vancouver, Canada and presented a conference paper entitled, “Energy UX: Leveraging Multiple Methods to See the Big Picture”, which “blends inductive research methods from the fields of design and HCI with deductive methods drawn from psychology and behavioral economics to develop and test hypotheses and translate findings into real-world application.” |
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June 23, 2017. Association for Environmental Studies & Science Conference, Tucson, AZ
Lear Center Director of Research Beth Karlin chaired the session “New Frontiers in Visualizing Climate Change” at the 2017 AESS Conference at the University of Arizona in Tuscon. Karlin discussed the role of Virtual Reality in Climate Communication and present findings from the Lear Center’s Media Impact Project‘s recent VR study with FRONTLINE. |
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November 12, 2016. Global Health Film Festival. London, UK
Managing Director Johanna Blakley presents results and insights from multiple research evaluations conducted by the Lear Center on recent movies and TV shows at the 2016 Global Health Film Progamme at the Barbican in London. Listen to her talk here on Entertainment Education and how the Norman Lear Center measures impact here. |
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November 12, 2016. Advancing the Story: The Next Chapter in Media Impact. Beverly Hills, CA
Emerging technologies are not only wreaking havoc on business models in the media industries, they are also enabling new kinds of engagement with profound social and political issues. In a polarized election year, this panel will reflect on how live video has inspired social action while demonstrating the problems with mass distribution of content. In addition, while virtual reality promises to increase empathy and engagement, what methods have been developed to measure impact? Read more and watch video here. |
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August 4-7, 2016. American Psychological Association. Denver, CO
Research Director Beth Karlin attends the American Psychology Association’s (APA) annual convention. Dr. Karlin will be presenting in two sessions: "Gamergate–Psychology Addresses Sometimes Violent Protests Against Reel Heroines" and "Putting the Psychology to Work for the World—Evidence-Based Approaches to Effective Communication." |
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June 16, 2016. The Science of Data-Drive Storytelling. Culver City, CA
Media Impact Director Dana Chinn presents at The Science of Data-Driven Storytelling Workshop. The workshop is presented by The National Science Foundation’s West Big Data Innovation Hub and DataScience, Inc. DataScience and the National Science Foundation’s West Big Data Innovation Hub have brought together leaders in academia, the non-profit sector, government, data science and publishing to discuss best practices for creating impactful data-driven stories. Those in analytical, marketing, or management roles in these fields are highly encouraged to attend this free event. |
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May 16, 2016. Narrating Behavior Change with the World Bank. Mexico City, Mexico.
The Media Impact Project joined the Development Impact Evaluation (DIME) in delivering an impact evaluation workshop in Mexico City, Mexico, aligning researchers, practitioners and producers from entertainment hubs including Hollywood, Nollywood and Bollywood to design and evaluate behavior change campaigns under a new DIME program: Entertainment Education. |
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May 12, 2016. Public Diplimacy for Sustainable Development. United Nations Foundation, Washington, D.C.
Lear Center Managing Director Johanna Blakley wasamong the participants at this forum, hosted by the USC Center on Public Diplomacy. The event explored the vital role of public diplomacy in engaging a broad array of stakeholders to implement the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainable Development Goals build on the Millennium Development Goals, a 15-year concerted effort of national governments, the international community, civil society and the private sector concluded in 2015. Featured speakers include scholars and researchers, as well as representatives from key UN organizations and select countries. View photos of the participants in this Flickr stream. |
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April 21, 2016. What's New Media Good for Anyway? Los Angeles, CA
Jessica Clark, published journalist, researcher, media futurist and founder of Dot Connector Studios, discussed the future of storytelling and the changing relationship between the physical and the digital. Clark explored ways to develop new models and evaluation practices that help makers and researchers grasp and visualize emerging forms of public interest media, such as virtual and augmented reality. |
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March 25, 2016. Building a Smarter Los Angeles. Los Angeles, CA
MIP Director Dana Chinn is a featured panelist in this conference, which brings together Smart Cities experts, government officials, and thought leaders on how open data, analytics, and IoT can drive better outcomes in traffic management, energy, crime prevention, and other challenges here in LA. |
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February 25, 2016. 2016 Frank Conference: "Who Cares?" University of Florida
Johanna Blakley, the Lear Center’s Managing Director and Director of Research, presented at the 2016 frank conference, which is considered the foremost gathering of people who use strategic communications to drive social change. Her insightful talk “Who Cares?” explores the phenomenon of “development fatigue,” where citizens of wealthy nations believe that the situation in developing nations hasn’t improved, despite all the money poured into them. WATCH and LEARN. |
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February 3, 2016. Basic Web Metrics Using Google Analytics. Los Angeles, CA
Participants learned how to interpret data from Google Analytics to optimize and increase traffic to their website in this session with MIP Director Dana Chinn, which was hosted by the USC Annenberg School Digital Lounge. |
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January 8, 2016. Gender and (Anti)Social Media. Austin, TX
Lear Center Managing Director and Director of Research Johanna Blakley spoke at the 2016 MLA conference in Austin, Texas, offering a brief commentary on gender issues and social media. She gave special attention to recent bouts of social media–based harassment (e.g., Gamergate) but also explored the potential for social media to create change for the better through cyber activism and coalition building. |
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October 28-29, 2015. Entertainment Education at the Morelia Film Festival. Morelia, Mexico
The Lear Center’s Hollywood, Health & Society program and Media Impact Project lead two panels and a hands-on workshop at the 13th annual International Film Festival in Morelia, Mexico. With the help of an international group of master storytellers, Hollywood, Health & Society and the World Bank is presenting an inspiring series of events to explore how entertainment can help change the world. |
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October 23, 2015. Sustinable LA/Data Cosmopolis
MIP Director Dana Chinn will be on a panel talking about the Open Data LA Assessment Framework. |
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September 16-24, 2015. Online News Association Conference. Los Angeles, CA
Join MIP Director Dana Chinn for an open and inspiring conversation on challenging topics in your area of expertise. These discussions are aimed at tackling major issues that journalists face. |
July 10-20, 2015. BRITDOC Documentary Film Impact Assessment. London, UK
Lunchtime discussions about documentary film impact assessment in conjunction with BRITDOC in London July 10-20. Contact Dana Chinn for dates and locations.
July 7, 2015. Frontline Club International Partners. London, UK
Conducting online metrics workshop using the "Metrics for Nonprofit News Organizations" guide at the Frontline Club International Partners meeting in London on July 7.
June 23, 2015. Media Impact Forum. Menlo Park, CA
Johanna Blakley and Dana Chinn will discuss our new Non Profit News Organzation Guide at the Media Impact Forum hosted by Media Impact Funders.
June 11, 2015. Evaluating Media Impact: Audience vs. Advertiser Metrics. American Evaluation Association.
Assessing the impact of digital media starts with understanding why the mass media metrics used to sell advertising don't work in today's highly segmented, big data world. This talk will discuss the types of digital audience behavioral metrics essential to media evaluation frameworks
April 16, 2015. Collab/Space Austin. Austin, TX
The Lear Center's Media Impact Project is proud to co-sponsor Collab/Space Austin along with the Knight Foundation and Texas State University.
This workshop will focus on media metrics, analytics and impact.
March 6, 2015. ONA London Mobile 2015. London, UK
ONA’s first international conference, ONA London: Mobile, included a dive into mobile design, content and distribution, and rethinking how media approaches mobile news. Sessions featured the brightest minds working in and on mobile, as well as hands-on demos that offered the chance to engage with emerging mobile technology. Norman Lear Center Managing Director and Director of Research Johanna Blakley presented a demo of the Media Impact Project's Mobile Metrics Guide for Journalists.
February 20, 2015. Media that Matters Conference. Washington, D.C.
How do we make impact design and assessment an integral part of the production process? Filmmaker and professor Brigid Maher discusses the role of impact design in her upcoming feature documentary "Mama Sherpas," and introduces us to leaders in social impact through journalism, interactive media and public purpose gaming, including Dana Chinn. Learn from a diverse group of media makers what they recommend for incorporating impact design into cutting edge productions and paving the way for successful impact assessment. Watch Video
October 28, 2014. Measuring the Offline Impact of Documentary Film: A workshop sponsored by BRITDOC and the Media Impact Project. Ford Foundation, New York City, NY
This is the second in a series of workshops devoted to measuring the "offline impact" of media, critical signals of impact that often don't get counted when the focus is on digital audience data. Working from an Offline Impact Glossary developed for journalists, this workshop gathers together a small group of experts to optimize and operationalize the glossary for documentary film. The goal is to develop a simple method for systematically collecting examples of offline impact, including policy changes, mentions in other media and behavioral and attitudinal changes in individuals.
October 22-24, 2014. Media Analytics Summit. San Diego, CA
Dana Chinn will participate in this conference for analytics practitioners and data experts at media companies.
October 23, 2014. PopTech 2014. Camden, ME
Johanna Blakley, Managing Director and Director of Research at Media Impact Project and Jessica Clark, Research Director for Media Impact Funders talk impact measurement at the PopTech 2014 conference.
October 16, 2014. American Evaluation Association Conference. Denver, CO
Media Impact Project Director Dana Chinn presents on a panel on "How to use media and media analytics in a visionary evaluation."
September 25-27, 2014. Online News Association Conference. Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, Chicago
The Media Impact Project sponsored the Engagement and Audience Development track and hosted the MIP community at the Midway of the 2014 Online News Association conference.
September 4-6, 2014. RTDNA/SPJ Excellence in Journalism Conference. Nashvill, TN
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) host the Excellence in Journalism Conference and the Media Impact Project was there. Veronica Jauriqui and Adam Amel Rogers from the Lear Center, represented MIP and the Walter Cronkite Awards in the Expo Hall.
August 8, 2014. Stories Can Change Us: Storytelling for the Public Good. American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.
As part of the American Psychological Association's annual conference, Lear Center Managing Director and Director of Research Johanna Blakley participated in a discussion on the power of story, as a member of a panel titled "Storytelling for the Public Good." She joined Amy Hartzler, from Free Range Studios and Pamela Rutledge of the Media Psychology Research Center. Telling stories is a highly effective strategy for engaging the public on important social issues (i.e., voilence, climate change). This session addressed the what (messaging), how (medium) and why (motivation) of storytelling for the public good.
August 6, 2014. Columbia Tow Center for Digital Journalism NewsLynx/Center for Investigative Reporting Offline Impact Metrics Workshop sponsored by the Media Impact Project. Columbia University, New York City, New York
A group of 15 journalists, social scientists and analysts from a variety of news orgs developed a taxonomy to classify non-digital indicators of how news has had an impact on audiences. Participants worked mostly in small groups. The USC Media Impact Project and CIR will post the taxonomy on their web sites for further input from and use by the media metrics community.
July 10, 2014. American Press Institute: Research Advisory Group Metrics Workshop. Chicago, IL
Media Impact Project Director Dana Chinn shared the Media Impact Project System (MIPS) at this workshop with news organizations and academics.
June 13, 2013. The "Verbs" of Impact: A Workshop of the Media Impact Project
One of the goals of the Media Impact Project was to create open, objective, and repeatable measures for quantifying impact. While there are many aspects of media impact that are hard to observe and measure, those activities that take place in cyber-space, such as liking a page, pressing a donate button, sending a tweet, etc. can be directly observed and quantified. This one-day workshop started the process of identifying a shared understanding of what an appropriate measurement taxonomy should look like.
Lunchtime discussions about documentary film impact assessment in conjunction with BRITDOC in London July 10-20. Contact Dana Chinn for dates and locations.
July 7, 2015. Frontline Club International Partners. London, UK
Conducting online metrics workshop using the "Metrics for Nonprofit News Organizations" guide at the Frontline Club International Partners meeting in London on July 7.
June 23, 2015. Media Impact Forum. Menlo Park, CA
Johanna Blakley and Dana Chinn will discuss our new Non Profit News Organzation Guide at the Media Impact Forum hosted by Media Impact Funders.
June 11, 2015. Evaluating Media Impact: Audience vs. Advertiser Metrics. American Evaluation Association.
Assessing the impact of digital media starts with understanding why the mass media metrics used to sell advertising don't work in today's highly segmented, big data world. This talk will discuss the types of digital audience behavioral metrics essential to media evaluation frameworks
April 16, 2015. Collab/Space Austin. Austin, TX
The Lear Center's Media Impact Project is proud to co-sponsor Collab/Space Austin along with the Knight Foundation and Texas State University.
This workshop will focus on media metrics, analytics and impact.
March 6, 2015. ONA London Mobile 2015. London, UK
ONA’s first international conference, ONA London: Mobile, included a dive into mobile design, content and distribution, and rethinking how media approaches mobile news. Sessions featured the brightest minds working in and on mobile, as well as hands-on demos that offered the chance to engage with emerging mobile technology. Norman Lear Center Managing Director and Director of Research Johanna Blakley presented a demo of the Media Impact Project's Mobile Metrics Guide for Journalists.
February 20, 2015. Media that Matters Conference. Washington, D.C.
How do we make impact design and assessment an integral part of the production process? Filmmaker and professor Brigid Maher discusses the role of impact design in her upcoming feature documentary "Mama Sherpas," and introduces us to leaders in social impact through journalism, interactive media and public purpose gaming, including Dana Chinn. Learn from a diverse group of media makers what they recommend for incorporating impact design into cutting edge productions and paving the way for successful impact assessment. Watch Video
October 28, 2014. Measuring the Offline Impact of Documentary Film: A workshop sponsored by BRITDOC and the Media Impact Project. Ford Foundation, New York City, NY
This is the second in a series of workshops devoted to measuring the "offline impact" of media, critical signals of impact that often don't get counted when the focus is on digital audience data. Working from an Offline Impact Glossary developed for journalists, this workshop gathers together a small group of experts to optimize and operationalize the glossary for documentary film. The goal is to develop a simple method for systematically collecting examples of offline impact, including policy changes, mentions in other media and behavioral and attitudinal changes in individuals.
October 22-24, 2014. Media Analytics Summit. San Diego, CA
Dana Chinn will participate in this conference for analytics practitioners and data experts at media companies.
October 23, 2014. PopTech 2014. Camden, ME
Johanna Blakley, Managing Director and Director of Research at Media Impact Project and Jessica Clark, Research Director for Media Impact Funders talk impact measurement at the PopTech 2014 conference.
October 16, 2014. American Evaluation Association Conference. Denver, CO
Media Impact Project Director Dana Chinn presents on a panel on "How to use media and media analytics in a visionary evaluation."
September 25-27, 2014. Online News Association Conference. Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, Chicago
The Media Impact Project sponsored the Engagement and Audience Development track and hosted the MIP community at the Midway of the 2014 Online News Association conference.
September 4-6, 2014. RTDNA/SPJ Excellence in Journalism Conference. Nashvill, TN
The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) host the Excellence in Journalism Conference and the Media Impact Project was there. Veronica Jauriqui and Adam Amel Rogers from the Lear Center, represented MIP and the Walter Cronkite Awards in the Expo Hall.
August 8, 2014. Stories Can Change Us: Storytelling for the Public Good. American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.
As part of the American Psychological Association's annual conference, Lear Center Managing Director and Director of Research Johanna Blakley participated in a discussion on the power of story, as a member of a panel titled "Storytelling for the Public Good." She joined Amy Hartzler, from Free Range Studios and Pamela Rutledge of the Media Psychology Research Center. Telling stories is a highly effective strategy for engaging the public on important social issues (i.e., voilence, climate change). This session addressed the what (messaging), how (medium) and why (motivation) of storytelling for the public good.
August 6, 2014. Columbia Tow Center for Digital Journalism NewsLynx/Center for Investigative Reporting Offline Impact Metrics Workshop sponsored by the Media Impact Project. Columbia University, New York City, New York
A group of 15 journalists, social scientists and analysts from a variety of news orgs developed a taxonomy to classify non-digital indicators of how news has had an impact on audiences. Participants worked mostly in small groups. The USC Media Impact Project and CIR will post the taxonomy on their web sites for further input from and use by the media metrics community.
July 10, 2014. American Press Institute: Research Advisory Group Metrics Workshop. Chicago, IL
Media Impact Project Director Dana Chinn shared the Media Impact Project System (MIPS) at this workshop with news organizations and academics.
June 13, 2013. The "Verbs" of Impact: A Workshop of the Media Impact Project
One of the goals of the Media Impact Project was to create open, objective, and repeatable measures for quantifying impact. While there are many aspects of media impact that are hard to observe and measure, those activities that take place in cyber-space, such as liking a page, pressing a donate button, sending a tweet, etc. can be directly observed and quantified. This one-day workshop started the process of identifying a shared understanding of what an appropriate measurement taxonomy should look like.