Mississippi Today had a question. Did the stories around its Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporting affect the way those investigations were received?
It’s the kind of question local newsrooms can’t easily test on their own. But researchers from Local NExT Lab at Syracuse University could.
In a national survey, 1,768 adults were shown the same investigation surrounded by a different mix of stories. In one, the investigation was shown alongside positive community stories. (Think: “How a local fossil park changed science history.”) In another, the investigation was featured alongside other investigative stories.
The investigation was rated more accurate, important, and relevant when it was surrounded by community-focused stories, not other investigative stories. (Audience reaction to a third story mix, where the investigation was surrounded by stories about legislation, was not consistent.)
