WHAT WE DO

Evaluation & Impact Research

We work on two distinct types of media impact projects: evaluation and research.

Program evaluation provides information about your audiences: demographics, where your media was encountered, what actions audience members took after engaging with it, and if their behaviors changed. Social science research on that same media can help understand why the work had this impact: what precisely sparked the response, spurred the action, or shifted behaviors? ​

Read this blog post to learn more about the differences between Evaluations and Research. ​​

Methodologies

Encouraging Change Through Media: The Cultural Audit

All media is influential. The media we consume -- through TV, films, news, radio, music, games and online -- are the currency of our culture. If you are interested in using the power of entertainment to encourage change, a first step is a Cultural Audit. Cultural auditing provides deep understanding of your audiences by analyzing their media choices. This research method can reveal undetected niche groups within your audience and discover ways to help truly inspire the people who care about your issues.  The Media Impact Project is a leader in providing Cultural Audits and helping media understand audiences. Click here to learn more about culture change strategies and Cultural Audits.

Results

MIP has developed a track record for supporting news and media organizations in evaluating the impact of their efforts and contributing new research methods such as Propensity Score Matching to understand media impact on audiences. Our research has advanced the field of media impact measurement. Through our series of media metrics handbooks, workshops, and public speaking engagements, as well as our consultations with media makers and organizations across the spectrum, we have shared knowledge and helped establish ourselves as trusted experts and conveners in the field. ​
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.