Project for Excellence in Journalism

The Project for Excellence in Journalism was a U.S. tax-exempt research organization devoted to the systematic study of journalism and news-media performance. Established in 1997, it sought to examine the press through empirical research rather than through purely theoretical criticism or anecdotal commentary. Its work focused on what news organizations covered, how much attention they devoted to different subjects, and how the changing media environment affected journalism. The organization was initially affiliated with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. That relationship placed the project within a major academic journalism setting while allowing it to operate as a research-oriented institution concerned with the performance and public role of the press. Its research agenda included analysis of mainstream U.S. news coverage and the allocation of editorial attention across topics and events. A central output was the News Coverage Index, a recurring report that identified the principal subjects receiving attention in U.S. mainstream media and estimated the share of the available news space, or “news hole,” devoted to each subject. The index provided a quantitative way to compare coverage priorities over time and to assess the prominence of issues in the news. It was also used in examining coverage of major public events, including the Occupy Wall Street movement. In 2006, the project separated from Columbia University and joined the Pew Research Center. Its work was supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts, a private philanthropic organization. Within Pew Research Center, the project became part of a broader research program examining journalism, media economics, news consumption, and the transformation of the information ecosystem. Tom Rosenstiel served as the organization’s director. Rosenstiel is a journalism professor and a noted media critic who had also worked as a political correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and Newsweek. His leadership reflected the project’s combination of newsroom experience, journalism scholarship, and quantitative media analysis. In January 2014, the Project for Excellence in Journalism was renamed the Pew Research Center’s Journalism Project. The renaming marked the end of the organization’s operation under its original standalone identity, while its journalism research continued within Pew Research Center. As a result, the Project for Excellence in Journalism is best understood as a predecessor organization and former research brand rather than as an active independent institution. Its principal legacy is the development and dissemination of empirical methods for tracking news coverage and evaluating the performance and priorities of the press.

The Project for Excellence in Journalism was founded in the United States in 1997 as a tax-exempt research organization dedicated to studying the press. Its distinctive approach was empirical: rather than evaluating journalism only through professional commentary or institutional opinion, it examined the content and performance of news media using systematic research methods. The project’s subject matter included the priorities of mainstream news organizations, the amount of attention assigned to different subjects, and broader changes affecting journalism. During its early period, the organization was affiliated with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. The Columbia connection gave the project an academic and professional base from which to conduct research on news production and media performance. Its work was directed by Tom Rosenstiel, a journalism professor and experienced media critic who had also worked as a political correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and Newsweek. One of the project’s best-known activities was the News Coverage Index. Produced on a weekly basis, the index identified the main subjects covered by U.S. mainstream media and measured the proportion of the available news space devoted to major topics. By treating editorial attention as a measurable resource, the index helped researchers and observers compare news priorities across periods and events. It also supported analysis of coverage surrounding public controversies and movements, including Occupy Wall Street. A major institutional change occurred in 2006, when the Project for Excellence in Journalism separated from Columbia University and joined the Pew Research Center. The project’s work was funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, and its integration into Pew placed journalism research within a larger institution known for public-opinion, media, and social-trend analysis. This transition provided a broader organizational setting for studying both conventional news organizations and the changing media environment. The project continued to operate as a distinct identity for several years within the Pew research structure. Its mission remained centered on evaluating the performance of the press and documenting the subjects and patterns that shaped news coverage. Its research contributed to public discussion about the role of journalism, the distribution of attention in the news, and the ways media organizations responded to significant political and social events. In January 2014, the organization was renamed the Pew Research Center’s Journalism Project. The change represented an institutional rebranding and consolidation rather than the disappearance of the underlying research agenda. After the renaming, journalism-related research continued under Pew Research Center’s identity. The original Project for Excellence in Journalism therefore became a historical predecessor to Pew’s later journalism program. Its principal contribution was to establish a recognizable, data-oriented framework for monitoring news coverage and assessing the performance of the press.

• 2014

  Renamed Pew Research Center's Journalism Project

  [1]Project for Excellence in Journalismen.wikipedia.org

  In January 2014, the organization adopted the name Pew Research Center's Journalism Project and ceased operating under its original standalone name.

• 2006

  Joined Pew Research Center

  [1]Project for Excellence in Journalismen.wikipedia.org

  After separating from Columbia University, the project joined Pew Research Center with support from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

• 1997

  Organization founded

  [1]Project for Excellence in Journalismen.wikipedia.org

  The Project for Excellence in Journalism was established in the United States as a tax-exempt organization focused on empirical research into the press and news-media performance.

An evidence-based research organization focused on measuring news coverage, studying the performance of the press, and explaining changes in journalism through quantitative analysis.

• Research report

  News Coverage Index

  A recurring quantitative report that tracked the main subjects covered by U.S. mainstream news media and estimated the share of the available news space devoted to each major topic. The index offered a structured way to compare editorial priorities over time and to examine media attention during major events, including Occupy Wall Street. It was the project’s most clearly identified recurring research output.

• 2014

  Renaming as Pew Research Center's Journalism ProjectStrategy

  Background

  Following its integration into Pew Research Center, the organization no longer operated as an independent Columbia-affiliated project.

  Action taken

  In January 2014, it changed its name to the Pew Research Center's Journalism Project.

  Aftermath

  The original Project for Excellence in Journalism identity became a predecessor brand, while journalism research continued under Pew Research Center.

  Source

• 2006

  Separation from Columbia University and integration with Pew Research CenterStrategy

  Background

  The project had previously been affiliated with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and was seeking a broader institutional setting for its press research.

  Action taken

  It separated from Columbia University and joined the Pew Research Center, with funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

  Aftermath

  The project continued its journalism research within the Pew Research Center structure.

  Source

1. 1Project for Excellence in Journalismen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Project for Excellence in Journalism websitejournalism.org