Research Guides: Communication and Media: Studying the News Media

Studying the News Media

Columbia Journalism Review
"CJR’s mission is to be the intellectual leader in the rapidly changing world of journalism. It is the most respected voice on press criticism, and it shapes the ideas that make media leaders and journalists smarter about their work. "
Communication and Mass Media Complete (CMMC)
Find articles from media industry publications, along with scholarly articles ABOUT journalism and the news media
Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism
Produces an annual "State of the Media" report. Includes statistics, analysis, and journalism resources.
Pew Research Center for the People and the Press
Studies attitudes toward politics, the press and public policy issues. "In this role it serves as a valuable information resource for political leaders, journalists, scholars and citizens."
Nieman Foundation for Journalism
(from Harvard University)
Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy
Harvard research center dedicated to the study of press and politics. Produce the Journalist's Resource, providing scholarly research on current events and news topics.
Knight Foundation
Supports excellence in journalism and media innovation. Use the Knight blog to discover organizations and institutions working towards these goals.
Poynter Institute
A "global leader in journalism." Provide resources, tools and instruction for journalists and other media professionals and students.
Reynolds Journalism Institute
From the University of Missouri; the institute "works with citizens, journalists and researchers to strengthen democracy through better journalism".
Annenberg Public Policy Center
Supporting researching in political and health communication, among other areas.
Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas
From University of Texas; provides free multilingual library of reports on journalism in the hemisphere. Also offers online training for journalists, as well as free e-books on digital tools, skills and resources for journalists.
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
Research institute at the University of Oxford. Core funding from Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Data Journalism Awards
Journalism Pulitzer Prize winners
Who Make the News?
"A knowledge, information and resource portal on media, gender and other axes of discrimination. It hosts the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), the world's largest and longest running research and advocacy initiative that seeks to advance gender equality in and through the news media."
U.S. Press Freedom Tracker
Provides data on annual press freedom violations; "brings together more than two dozen press freedom groups to create a centralized repository for research."

BBC Monitoring This link opens in a new window
In addition to global news alerts, reports, reference and analysis of current developments around the world, BBC Monitoring provides "media guides" for ~100 countries. Media guides include an overview of current media outlets along with the extent of internet and social media use in each country. Choose country or territory and scroll down page to "Latest Media Guides".

Newseum
In addition to museum info, includes daily feature of daily newspaper front pages from around the world ("Today's Front Pages"), online exhibits, resources, and Online Journalism Awards.

Watchdog or fact-checking sites

Journalists or other organizations who check for accuracy in political discourse. Use these sites to find discussions of specific campaign ads, or assess the validity of claims made in campaign advertisements.

FactCheck.Org
From the Annenberg Center; check the accuracy of statements, including advertisements, from politicians, pundits and special interest groups.
Michigan Truth Squad
Evaluate the truth and accuracy of Michigan political advertisements. Click on "past calls" to view evaluations of specific advertisements.
Politifact.com
Run by the St. Petersburg Times, the site's "Truth-o-meter" helps separate "fact from fiction" in political statements, including advertisements, from races around the country.
Project Vote Smart
Check voting records, background, and public statements of candidates from around the country.
ProPublica
ProPublica is an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
Fact Checker (Washington Post)
From columnist Glenn Kessler, focusing on accuracy of statements of political figures "regarding issues of great importance, be they national, international or local."
Snopes.com
Fact-checking site for "for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation."

Journalism/Media Ethics

What do you know about the journalist or organization that produces a news article? Are they following a code of ethics?

Subject Guide on Media Ethics
List of reference materials, associations, interest groups and other resources related to media ethics
Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law
Located at the University of Minnesota
Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics
Journalism Ethics Case Studies
From Indiana University School of Journalism
Poynter Institute Tip Sheet: Ethics
Articles from 1994-2010, related to media ethics
Center for Journalism Ethics (Univ of Wisconsin)
Ethics Codes
Links to ethical codes of various media organizations. Includes Gannett, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, NPR, LA Times, BBC and New York Times. Compiled by iMediaEthics.
ProPublica Code of Ethics
Code of ethics from ProPublica, whose mission is to "practice and promote investigative journalism in the public interest."
Accountable Journalism
"A collaborative project that aims to be the world’s largest collection of ethical codes of conduct and press organisations. The site is meant to be a resource, which explains global press ethics and regulation systems, and provides advice on ethical reporting and dealing with hate speech." From the Reynolds Journalism Institute and Ethical Journalism Network.