This survey* is part of a research project at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University. The responses will be used to inform the creation of a platform for tracking the quantitative and qualitative impact of journalism, with an emphasis on serving the needs of nonprofit, investigative-oriented outlets. Responses are strictly anonymous and all analysis will be presented in the aggregate, though unattributed quotes may be reproduced.
If you would like to test our platform starting Summer 2014, please check the box below and leave an email address.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to [email protected].
Some questions were adapted from a similar survey put together by Joanna Raczkiewicz at http://harmonyinstitute.org/.
Organizational Profile
What’s the name of your organization?
What functions do you perform? (check all that apply)
[checklist] @ Editing @ Reporting @ Social Media @ Community Outreach @ Fundraising @ Programming (code) @ Business Development @ Board Member @ Other:
How many fulltime employees work for your news organization?
How many freelancers, contributors, and/or interns?
What is your news organization’s primary source of revenue?
[checklist] @ Foundations @ Advertisements @ Subscriptions / Membership @ Donations / Major Gifts @ Endowment @ Other:
Content Streams
Does your organization produce original content?
[checklist] @ Yes @ No
Which of the following types of content does your organization publish or aggregate? (check all that apply)
[checklist] @ Breaking news @ Analysis @ Explanatory pieces @ Long form investigations @ Cultural criticism (Film / Theater / Literature / Music / Television, etc.) @ Blogs @ Opinion @ Datasets @ Interactive graphics / Interactive databases @ Learning aids / resources @ Teaching aids / resources @ Reader comments / forums @ Professional development resources @ Syndicated content @ Video / Documentary @ Radio stories @ Podcasts @ Other:
Through which channels do you distribute content? (check all that apply)
[checklist] @ Online @ Print @ Radio @ Television @ Resyndication @ Other:
Does your organization produce original content?
[checklist] @ Hourly @ Daily @ Weekly @ Monthly @ Other:
Does your organization tag content with metadata so that it can be searched, sorted, or otherwise organized?
[checklist] @ Yes @ No @ I don’t know
Are the tags you use aligned with any external metadata standards?
[checklist] @ Yes @ No @ I don’t know
If you answered “yes” to the previous question, please list the standard(s) used.
Analytic Practices Quantitative
Are you required by foundations, private funders, management, or a Board of Directors to produce reports on organization analytics?
[checklist] @ Yes @ No @ I don’t know
If so, what kind of metrics do they ask for and how often must they be reported?
What analytics platforms / tools do you currently use? (check all that apply)
[checklist] @ Google Analytics @ Parse.ly @ Mixpanel @ Chartbeat @ WebTrends @ Omniture @ KISSmetrics @ SparkWise @ Bit.ly @ Twitter Analytics @ Facebook Insights @ CrimsonHexagon @ Topsy @ SocialFlow @ Klout @ Vocus @ Mention.net @ Google Alerts @ Nielsen @ Arbitron / Nielsen Audio @ Internal (as in homemade) @ Other:
Analytic Practices Qualitative
Do you do anything currently to measure the qualitative performance of stories?
[checklist] @ Yes @ No @ I don’t know
If so, what?
Who is in charge of monitoring impact at your organization?
[checklist] @ A dedicated employee (i.e. ‘Impact Analyst’, ‘Engagement Manager’, etc.) @ A primary person who holds other responsibilities as well @ A small team of people @ Everyone spends some time doing this @ We don’t have anyone currently doing this @ I don’t know if someone does this
How many hours per week does this person / these people spend on impact measurement?
Can you provide links to 23 stories / projects that you thought were especially ‘impactful’ and a very brief explanation as to why?
Institutional Challenges / Goals
Are quantitative (pageviews, mentions, likes) or qualitative measurements (change in law, an interesting citation) more important?
[checklist] @ Quantitative @ Qualitative
Why is that measurement more important?
What is the most challenging aspect of measurement for your organization?
Actions
In what ways could measurement (quantitative and/or qualitative) positively influence your organization’s content or business strategy?
Who is most interested in the outcome of articles?
[checklist] @ Reporters @ Editors @ Donors @ Board of directors / CEO @ Everyone equally @ Other:
Further Information
Would you be interested in beta testing our impact measurement platform at your news organization?
[checklist] @ Yes @ No
If so, please provide your email address so we can contact you with more information.