Quick Reads

A Better Way to Tell Protest Stories
December 1, 2021
To help journalists frame stories in ways that do not marginalize certain groups, the Center for Media Engagement tested several approaches to protest coverage. Read More

3 Tips for Reporting on AI & Automation in Es...
November 9, 2021
How journalists can help create an accurate public understanding of the true capacities of automated technologies. Read More

Bridging Divides Between Conservatives and Media
October 15, 2021
Discussions with participants in this Center for Media Engagement study helped identify six approaches journalists can take to better connect with their conservative audiences. Read More

Solidarity Reporting and Coverage of Afghanistan
September 15, 2021
Learn about how journalists can apply solidarity journalism to coverage of Afghanistan. Read More

5 Ways to Connect with Local Communities
September 15, 2021
Five strategies for connecting with local communities that come directly from speaking with people who feel the media can do better to reach them. Read More

How Partisanship Affects Fact-Checking on Facebook
August 23, 2021
Research shows that Democrats and Republicans are susceptible to believing misinformation about candidates from the opposing party and that Democrats and Republicans respond differently to fact checks. Read More

Connecting with Disinvested Local News Audiences
August 15, 2021
What a study in two neighborhoods revealed about how journalists anywhere can take to connect with local communities. Read More

How a Local Opinion Page Can Slow Polarization
July 22, 2021
By emphasizing local identity instead of partisan identity, local newspapers can help slow the rising tide of polarization. Read More

How Newsrooms Can Help Bridge Divides: Lessons fro...
July 8, 2021
Learn from a panel of experts on how newsrooms can better understand their communities and humanize those with diverse views by using the principles of connective democracy. Read More

How Journalists Should Respond in Comment Sections
June 15, 2021
Study results show that when getting involved in the comments, journalists should try to acknowledge commenters’ emotions rather than dismiss them. Read More

Technology’s Impact on Political Knowledge and Par...
May 28, 2021
The Digital Media Research Program in the Moody College of Communication sought to gain a more in-depth understanding of communication technology’s impact on political knowledge and participation. Read More

Signaling Trust Can Begin with a Google Search
May 1, 2021
Certain signals can act as powerful indicators of trust and should appear when people search for a news outlet. Read More

Cable News is Politicizing Coronavirus Coverage
April 19, 2021
Our study shows just how politicized coverage of coronavirus has become — and that the implications go beyond the coronavirus pandemic. Read More

Geolocation Surveillance Roundtable
March 30, 2021
The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Media Engagement and the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.) hosted a roundtable about mass surveillance in the age of mass protest. We analyzed how electronic surveillance is used to monitor political protest, mass gatherings, and how location tracking enables microtargeting of propaganda… Read More

What We Learned in 2020 – And How It Can Help News...
January 13, 2021
Ten takeaways from our research that can help newsrooms and journalists tackle challenges in the year ahead. Read More

What Comment Sections Mean to Newsrooms
December 30, 2020
Turning off comment sections could end up cutting down on the time people spend on site and could make the experience worse for users. Read More

Helping Audiences Find Common Ground
October 9, 2020
Political divides are pushing coworkers, friends, and families apart. Newsrooms can help people find common ground by sharing these strategies for approaching difficult discussions. Read More

Police could Be Scanning Your Social Media From a ...
September 2, 2020
Protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, continue to seize national and global attention. Videos of peaceful protestors demanding justice and rioters setting businesses ablaze have provided two seemingly different narratives of the summer’s intense social activism. There have been protests in at least 1,700 cities across… Read More

4 Steps To Help Build Trust with TV News Audiences
August 5, 2020
Based on focus group findings, we share four steps newsrooms can take while writing stories to help build trust. Read More

Adapting to Changing Audience Needs
July 8, 2020
As people adjust to the ongoing presence of coronavirus in everyday life, their appetites for news stories on the subject are changing Read More

The Coronavirus Coverage Audiences Want
April 13, 2020
A coverage snapshot that can help newsrooms identify where coverage overlaps with viewer appetite—and where there are opportunities to provide more of the stories viewers want. Read More

Newsroom Tips for Covering Coronavirus
March 19, 2020
Newsroom resources are likely strained as coronavirus updates keep coming in. Here are 5 research-backed ideas to help you connect with your audience. Read More

Transparency is Great…If Readers Notice
February 15, 2020
We teamed up with McClatchy to test whether a card that shows how and why a story was written can help demonstrate transparency and build trust. Read More

10 Newsroom Lessons We Learned in 2019
December 19, 2019
10 Newsroom Lessons We Learned in 2019. Read More

What People Want in a News Story
December 18, 2019
What questions do readers have about your stories? Taking their answers into account during the reporting process can better connect readers to your content and build trust. Read More

Story Labels Alone Don’t Increase Trust
December 1, 2019
Many newsrooms add a label like news, analysis, opinion, or sponsored content to stories. But do readers actually notice these labels? And do the labels help increase trust? Read More

5 Keys to Powerful Solutions Journalism
November 10, 2019
We know solutions journalism can make people feel more informed, optimistic, and engaged in an issue. But what is it about solutions journalism that makes them feel this way? Read More

Are You Checking On Your Comment Moderators?
August 1, 2019
As more news organizations turn to moderators (or their employees) to take on the comments section, it’s important to know how the job is affecting those performing it. Read More

Covering Outrageous Political Stories Could Backfi...
May 22, 2019
Covering the latest outrageous political story could hurt the credibility of your news organization. Read More

Want to Build Audience Trust? Try Using This Box
March 27, 2019
Audience trust is key to a newsroom’s success. But in this era of “fake news” and fading confidence in the media, it can be difficult to earn. Read More