THE PATH TO IMPACT: INSIGHTS FROM GLOBAL MAJORITY NEWSROOMS
The Study;
In Evidence
We Trust.
As Report for the World’s first cohort of newsrooms and journalists complete their 3-year cycles, we asked Dr. Anya Schiffrin, and her Capstone team at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) to analyze the impact of beat-focused reporting by our newsrooms. Their analysis explores the key successes and challenges of our program in supporting these newsrooms on their journeys.
To analyze how critical beat-focused, full-time reporting impacts the quality and reach of public interest journalism produced by newsrooms, and why limitations persist despite the support.
Credit: Fellipe Abreu / Mongabay Brasil / O Eco Award
Schiffrin and her team created a multi-dimensional taxonomy to analyze the “causal effects of media reports on a range of social, political and economic outcomes.”
They developed a 30-part matrix that measures investigative journalism's impact across three broad categories: individual, network, and institutional.
The matrix examines short-term effects on journalists and audiences, midterm developments such as new storylines, and long-term shifts in editorial missions and systemic changes. It provides editors, newsrooms, and funders with insights into how these impacts interconnect and contribute to structural, systemic, and policy transformations within affected communities.
The matrix categorizes impact under six sections, highlights the influence of Report for the World’s program on newsrooms and the local news media ecosystem.
Individual Impact
Measures the impact of the reporting on the audience, assessing whether there were any shifts in attitudes, deeper awareness or civic mobilization.
Network Impact
Assesses whether the reporting influenced civil society networks and organizations, providing them with new data or information, or, if it led to collaborations or bolstered advocacy efforts on an issue.
Institutional Impact
Looks at the impact of the reporting on public discourse and policy, examining any changes to legislation or corporate policies, accountability through resignations or arrests of individuals, changes in a company’s strategy resulting from a corruption investigation, or the strengthening of democratic practices.
Individual Impact
Assesses the impact of the reporting on the Report for the World corps member, evaluating new skills or knowledge gained, invitations to speak at conferences, job offers – and in some cases,government backlash resulting from the reporting.
Network Impact
Assesses the impact of the reporting on the corps member’s professional network, including collaborations within the newsroom or new mentorship/training opportunities. Additionally, the survey considers whether the report was cited by other media organizations or re-published.
Institutional Impact
Tracks how the reporting affected the sustainability of the media institutions, including increased revenue, subscriptions, and diverse audience reach.
Network impact:
Media Amplification:
Individual Impact:
Institutional Impact
Network impact:
other groups acted on their reporting. 45%