MEDIA IMPACT PROJECT
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    • IDEOLOGY & ENTERTAINMENT
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    • JOURNALISM STUDIES >
      • VIRTUAL REALITY
    • POVERTY NARRATIVES
    • THE SOCIAL DILEMMA IMPACT STUDY
  • PUBLICATIONS
    • OVERVIEW
    • Are You What You Watch?
    • Africa in the Media
    • CASE STUDIES & TIPSHEETS
    • Charitable Giving in the Media
    • IMMIGRATION ON TV
    • METRICS GUIDES FOR JOURNALISTS
    • POVERTY IN POP CULTURE
    • VIRTUAL REALITY
  • NEWS & EVENTS
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
    • MISSION
    • OUR TEAM
    • WHAT WE DO
    • FELLOWS & PARTNERS
  • PROJECTS
    • OVERVIEW
    • AFRICA NARRATIVE
    • ACTION CAMPAIGNS
    • CHARITABLE GIVING IN THE MEDIA
    • CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH PROJECTS
    • HEALTH EQUITY
    • FILM/TV DIPLOMACY
    • IDEOLOGY & ENTERTAINMENT
    • IMMIGRATION ON TV
    • JOURNALISM STUDIES >
      • VIRTUAL REALITY
    • POVERTY NARRATIVES
    • THE SOCIAL DILEMMA IMPACT STUDY
  • PUBLICATIONS
    • OVERVIEW
    • Are You What You Watch?
    • Africa in the Media
    • CASE STUDIES & TIPSHEETS
    • Charitable Giving in the Media
    • IMMIGRATION ON TV
    • METRICS GUIDES FOR JOURNALISTS
    • POVERTY IN POP CULTURE
    • VIRTUAL REALITY
  • NEWS & EVENTS
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT

Our Projects

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Featured
Poverty Narratives in Pop Culture


Our expansive cultural audit on poverty narratives in TV, film, music and video games is now out. Through a mixed-methods research study -- including survey research, a systematic content analysis, interviews with thought leaders and a review of existing research -- we examined poverty and wealth narratives in popular culture. To what extent do mass media perpetuate stigmatizing, individualistic narratives about poverty? How common are counternarratives that challenge stereotypes of those experiencing poverty?

Read the report
Listen to the playlist of pop music included in the study
Watch the webinar on narratives of poverty, prosperity and opportunity

THE AFRICA NARRATIVE
The Africa Narrative seeks to gain a deep understanding of the impact of media and entertainment in shaping perceptions and opinions of the continent and to develop a richer telling of Africa’s story.
ACTION CAMPAIGNS
Can films change behavior? Our research team analyzed the results of social impact entertainment to find real-world impact of on viewers’ knowledge, beliefs and behavior.

CHARITABLE GIVING IN THE MEDIA
We analyzed narratives about giving conveyed through mass media news and entertainment, as well as what types of media content are consumed by potential donor audiences.
HEALTH EQUITY NARRATIVES
How do media narratives impact audiences’ understanding of health and well-being, disparities and solutions? Can entertainment play a role in shifting mindsets toward equity, justice and systemic change?
FILM DIPLOMACY
​​We are conducting program evaluations of a slate of fascinating projects sponsored by the U.S. State Department designed to share American entertainment expertise with media makers worldwide.
IDEOLOGY & ENTERTAINMENT
We polled some 3,000 Americans on their opinions about U.S. and world affairs as well as their favorite entertainment and news preferences.
People with different political beliefs are drawn to different types of TV.
IMMIGRATION ON TV
Our research with Define American studies portrayals of immigrant characters and storylines on TV. Our study, Change the Narrative, Change the World, finds nuanced depictions can inspire people to  action.
JOURNALISM STUDIES
The studies explore how issue-based media can inspire action. Our studies provide an empirical assessment of how medium, message and storytelling elements affect changes in awareness, attitudes and behavior. ​ 
NORMALIZING INJUSTICE
This study with advocacy organization Color of Change looked at depictions of the U.S. criminal justice system on American television. Crime TV genre advance distorted representations of crime, justice, race and gender.
METRICS GUIDES FOR NEWS
This ongoing series of Understanding Media Metrics guides can help media news organizations understand digital measurement tools and the data they can provide and illuminate media impact that occurs online.  

VIRTUAL REALITY
In a series of studies with teams at PBS Frontline and HuffPo, our researchers analyzed the impact of virtual reality on participants’ knowledge acquisition, behavior and attitudes.
CASE STUDIES & TIPSHEETS
These case studies, tipsheets and white papers provide evidence-based research in social and behavior science that provides strategies to be leveraged to optimize messages for impact.

Upcoming research studies.

  • Are You What You Watch? Using biodata to tell better stories
  • Poverty and wealth narratives in pop culture
  • Mental health portrayals on television
  • Gun safety narratives on television
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.