How to build a metrics-savvy newsroom
Journalists have a reputation for dismissing data about their stories. But it’s undeserved. After all, the axiom “if it bleeds, it leads” describes a newsroom practice driven by the metrics of newsstand sales and broadcast ratings. Pulitzers and Emmys are qualitative data that indicates a reporter’s work is respected by her peers. Journalists don’t hate […]
American Press Institute > ReportsHow a culture of listening strengthens reporting and relationships
When Journal Star executive editor Dennis Anderson created a reader advisory board with residents of Peoria’s predominately African American South Side in 2014, he knew the paper had some work to do. Regard for the Journal Star wasn’t particularly high among these residents of the central Illinois town; some said that the only time they […]
American Press Institute > ReportsAmericans and the News Media: What they do — and don’t — understand about each other
This research was conducted by the Media Insight Project — an initiative of the American Press Institute and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research A key factor in the erosion of Americans’ trust of their news media is a failure to communicate — we have a public that doesn’t fully understand how journalists […]
American Press Institute > ReportsJournalists can change the way they build stories to create organic news fluency
When journalists talk about how they wish the public could recognize good reporting from bad reporting or even fakery, the subject often turns to whether the audience has the right skills. The discussion usually falls under the heading of “news literacy,” a body of work that typically involves a curriculum supervised by schools, heavily oriented […]
American Press Institute > ReportsThe empathetic newsroom: How journalists can better cover neglected communities
Medicine came to the realization some years ago: Being a good doctor requires more than knowing science. The best doctors also understand their patients. As a result, admissions tests for medical schools for several years have included questions about psychology and human behavior, not just biology and anatomy. And the benefits, it turns out, work […]
American Press Institute > ReportsPaths to Subscription: Why recent subscribers chose to pay for news
This research was conducted by the Media Insight Project — an initiative of the American Press Institute and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research Funding for the news industry is going through an epochal change, the implications of which cannot be overstated. In the future, virtually all signals suggest less of the revenue […]
American Press Institute > ReportsHow much U.S. newspapers charge for digital subscriptions
The dual-revenue model of print advertising and home delivery subscriptions that historically sustained newspapers is fading. In its place, newspapers are pursuing new revenue growth through digital subscriptions. Weekday circulation for U.S. daily newspapers in 2016 declined for the 28th consecutive year, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center analysis. That analysis found weekday and Sunday […]
American Press Institute > ReportsHow to cover local refugee communities: Strategies for newsrooms and reporters
Overview The word “refugee” evokes a certain image: people fleeing persecution or war-torn areas, living under harsh refugee camp conditions, starting a new life in a foreign country. In reality, there are many different pictures. The refugees who resettled in America in 2016 alone represent 107 countries and varied educational, economic, religious and ethnic backgrounds. […]
American Press Institute > ReportsThe 3 types of news subscribers: Why they pay and how to convert them
Introduction Who pays for news? Why do they pay? Who does not pay for news and why not? Earlier this year, we conducted a nationally representative survey to answer these fundamental questions facing the news industry. In the second phase of the Media Insight Project, a collaboration of the American Press Institute and The Associated […]
American Press Institute > ReportsAfter a decade, it’s time to reinvent social media in newsrooms
For newsrooms, the social media tumult began a decade ago. In 2008, journalists new to digital media in legacy print newsrooms were trying to adapt to a Twitter invention called the hashtag. Facebook was confounding them, and MySpace was dying just when some were beginning to understand it. Then came the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, […]
American Press Institute > ReportsWant a social media team that’s ready for 2018? Here’s what you can do now.
What can you do now to create a social media team that’s ready for the accountability reporting you’ll do in 2018 — and in upcoming elections? Here are ideas from experts in our social media strategy study. To build community interest and engagement, try starting the conversation on social media and continuing it in your […]
American Press Institute > ReportsEngaging your audiences (even the difficult ones): More ideas from the experts
Listening to audiences is a practice that’s gotten lost in the crush of heavy workloads and small staffs. From the American Press Institute’s Manager study: “Notably, only one-fifth said that ‘news is a two-way conversation.’ This may reflect a lack of enthusiasm towards comments on news sites, or other forms of audience interaction, such as […]
American Press Institute > ReportsHelp Wanted: The ultimate social media job description
What does an effective social media team look like? Scott Kleinberg says it starts with a leadership position that solidifies social media as an integral part of journalism, not just an afterthought. Kleinberg, a social media editor at Crain Communications in New York, was a longtime social media editor for the Chicago Tribune and author […]
American Press Institute > ReportsA Matter of Space: Designing newsrooms for new digital practice
Overview Over the past decade, technology has driven unprecedented change in news audiences and news organizations. News organizations have experimented with business models, integrated new technologies, adopted digital platforms and established digital-first workflows. Yet in too many newsrooms, the physical spaces are stuck in the late 20th century. Now some newsroom leaders are redesigning their […]
American Press Institute > ReportsHow can collaborations between ethnic and mainstream outlets serve communities in the digital age?
A Nigerian chief, a Chinese activist, and a Muslim Republican shared their perspectives on the hotly contested 2017 New Jersey governor’s race. The stories and more than a dozen others like them are part of Voting Block, a unique, statewide collaboration between more than 20 ethnic, hyperlocal and mainstream news outlets. Each publication commits to […]
American Press Institute > ReportsThe Innovation Divide: Similarities and differences in how managers and staff view the transition to digital
Editor’s note: Rather than slow, the pace of change in news in 2017 appears only to be accelerating. McClatchy’s new chief executive recently announced a program to speed up digital transformation in the newspaper chain’s 31 newsrooms. The multi-million dollar Knight-Lenfest Newsroom initiative (of which API plays a role) has expanded its team-centric process to […]
American Press Institute > Reports