University of Texas at Austin

The Engaging News Project researches, develops, and tests innovations in how newsrooms can better present news in a rapidly changing digital age. Today an estimated forty percent of Americans turn to the Internet for news, but most online organizations lack the resources to test and evaluate new techniques for citizen engagement. The Project aims to provide research-based techniques for engaging online audiences in ways that are both commercially viable and democratically beneficial, supporting civility and respect for the well-reasoned perspectives of others. This grant would support new research on public engagement with online comment sections and help to refine strategies and communication plans for the Project’s work moving forward.