Table 2:

Application of taxonomy of media impact (ICIJ case study).

 # Scale Dim. Category Measure Monetization Method
1 Awareness of problems to investigate Receiving tips from readings (several leading to stories) No Survey/interview
2 More sources coming forward No Survey/interview
3 Awareness of ideas to report on No Survey/interview
4 Using ICIJ for help with idea generation No Survey/interview
5 Journalists’ professional opportunities Speaking at conferences/other venues or teaching Yes Survey/interview
6 Getting promoted/finding new job Yes Survey/interview
7 Journalists’ skills Skills improvement over the course of the project Maybe (revenue) Interview
8 Journalists’ efficacy Confidence/belief in reporting process No Interview
9 Respect for peers Journalists appearing on other news outlets Maybe (revenue) Content analysis/interview
10 Journalist’s work referenced/quoted in other outlets Maybe (revenue) Content analysis/interview
11 Awareness of the news content Feedback from e-mail and social media comments No Web scraping
12 Facebook likes and Twitter follows No Analytics
13 Story shared on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc.) No Analytics
14 Stories trending on Twitter No Analytics/web scraping
15 Audience perception of brand/trust Positive comments from insiders/people who follow No Interview/Impact tracking
16 Increase in Facebook likes and Twitter following No Analytics
17 Increased knowledge Individuals better informed about issue No Audience survey/polling Focus groups
18 Audience empowered by information provided No Audience survey/polling

Focus groups
19 Beliefs/perceptions Audience changes attitudes No Audience survey/polling

Focus groups
20 Audience changes perceived norms No Audience survey/polling

Focus groups
21 Audience changes behavioural intentions No Audience survey/polling
22 Behaviours Consumer choices Maybe (cost-benefit) Audience survey/consumer trends

Focus groups
23 Voting behaviour Election results
24 Volunteering activities, political activity and affiliation No Surveys/org. data/news analysis

Focus groups
26 Team collaboration (within news agency) Journalists sense of belonging and camaraderie No Interview
27 Consortium collaboration (between news agencies) Successful exchange of information/ideas No Interview
28 Number of published cross-border stories No Survey/content analysis
29 Journalists connecting with international colleagues No Interview
30 Degree of information sharing No Survey/network analysis
31 Motivation and trust among journalists No Interview
32 Number of countries collaborated with No Survey/network analysis
33 Amplification of peers’ work Work reprinted in other media outlets Maybe (revenue) Content analysis
34 Inter-peer learning Learning from seeing how other journalists work Interview
35 Journalists putting on workshops for their peers No Interview
36 Training programmes Attending/benefitting from software/platform training Maybe (offsets costs) Survey/interview
37 Tools, services and content Frequency of use/overall usefulness of digital tools Maybe (offsets costs) Survey/interview
38 Usefulness of peer-produced content: stories/photos Maybe (offsets costs) Survey/interview
39 ICIJ effectiveness in facilitating coordination No Survey/interview
40 Security practices No Survey/interview
41 Using ICIJ assistance, editing and fact-checking Maybe (saves time) Survey/interview
42 Using ICIJ’s help to Maybe (saves time) Survey/interview
parse through data
43 Usefulness of (in-person conferences) No Survey/interview
44 Using ICIJ’s background information for context Maybe (saves time) Survey/interview
45 Access to other countries’ databases Maybe (saves time) Survey/interview
46 Social capital/strengthened social networks Involvement in voluntary associations No Interview/org. data

Focus groups
47 Advocacy orgs. using content in their own work No Content analysis
48 Advocacy/narrative change News editorials in other media channels No Content analysis
49 Public attention, agenda setting and issue framing Sustained public interest No Analytics, polling
50 Increased interest in types of investigative stories No Analytics, polling
51 Better informed public debate No Audience survey, polling, content analysis
52 Norms Attitude towards/approval of political leaders/policies No Polling
53 Diversity of perspectives Newsroom demographic shift No Interview
54 Organizational values Shift in types of stories being covered No Content analysis, interview
55 Shift in organizational processes No Analytics (survey)
56 Revenues/income/financial benefits Selling new subscriptions Yes Analytics (survey)
57 Selling more newspapers on stand Yes Donation records (survey)
58 Increased philanthropic revenue Yes Donation records (survey)
59 Increased donations Yes Analytics (survey)
60 Audience/reach of work Increase in website traffic: page views, most visited story Yes Analytics (survey)
61 Increase in broadcast viewership Yes Analytics (survey)
62 Growth in audience Yes Analytics (survey)
63 News audience acquisition Yes Analytics (survey)
64 Increase in newsletter open-rate No Analytics (survey)
65 Frequency of newsroom engagement events Yes Survey (interview)
66 Business operations More space devoted to ICIJ project No Survey (interview)
67 Increase in article circulation Yes Analytics (survey)
68 Political repercussions Officials fired/promoted/resigned/recalled Maybe (cost-benefit) News analysis, interview
69 Lawsuits Maybe (compensation) News analysis, interview
70 Laws or policies Fines imposed Maybe (cost-benefit) News analysis, interview
71 New laws/policies passed Maybe (cost-benefit) News analysis, interview
72 Laws or policies Improved law/policy implementation Maybe (cost-benefit) News analysis, interview
75 Institutions strengthened More funding for the SEC or Interpol Yes News analysis, interview
76 New government agencies established Maybe (cost-benefit) News analysis, interview
77 Improved human capital Maybe (cost-benefit) News analysis, interview
78 Response Corporate response to story Maybe (cost-benefit) News analysis, interview
79 Government response Maybe (cost-benefit) News analysis, interview
to story
80 NGO response to story Maybe (cost-benefit) News analysis, interview