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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin

@engagingnews.bsky.social
3.1K followers 234 following 1.2K posts

The Center for Media Engagement leads efforts to understand and improve the information ecosystem for the benefit of democracy.

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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 10h
What might collaboration look like as more journalists build independent audiences? @niemanlab.org shares this look at “pop-up newsrooms” that bring independent reporters together around shared coverage while allowing each to maintain their own voice, platform, and community.
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www.niemanlab.org
Five independent climate journalists are teaming up with a “pop-up newsroom”
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 19h
Audience relationships may be one way news creators build credibility. Research from CNTI and Code for Africa finds that South African news creators pair audience engagement with practices like sourcing, verification, and fact-checking.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
More information is easier to access than ever, but has convenience made journalism better? This report examines how platforms, algorithms, and audience metrics have shaped what news gets produced, what gets overlooked, and how people encounter journalism.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Join the Center for Media Engagement and the Patman Center for Civic and Political Engagement on Oct. 16 for a conversation with The Atlantic on the state of journalism and the challenges facing news organizations in 2026. RSVP required:
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mediaengagement.org
A Conversation About Journalism in 2026 with The Atlantic - Center for Media Engagement
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
As more people turn to AI chatbots for news, how can we ensure the information they surface is credible? This explores what happens when unreliable information enters AI systems—and the role journalists and technologists could play in addressing it.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
What does it take to sustain an independent local newsroom? New research finds that strong journalism is only part of the equation: community engagement, revenue strategy, and business skills also play a critical role.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Sharing this great resource for newsrooms!
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Complex stories become more accessible when audiences can see how they connect to everyday life. This piece brings together climate journalists on using context, clear language, and human-centered reporting to make an enormous story more understandable and relevant.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
New publication on our research that tested two approaches to fact-checking in broadcast news: a traditional, just-the-facts style and an empathetic style that walks viewers through why the misperception is wrong. 🔗academic article: twp.ai/E5Fo4e 🔗public paper: twp.ai/4hvJgW
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Looking at the questions that really need to be asked about content moderation: What do we actually want our information environment to achieve?
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
As AI-generated deepfakes become more sophisticated, spotting manipulated content isn’t as simple as looking for visual clues. CME Director @taliastroud.bsky.social spoke with KLBK about why deepfakes can be difficult to distinguish from authentic footage. twp.ai/4hvJdK
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
News influencers may be filling some local information gaps, but this research highlights an important distinction between connecting communities to information & producing original reporting.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Evaluating an important angle on AI risk: Who is affected? Bringing people and communities into the conversation can change how we think about risk, accountability, and harm.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
These findings resonate with our research on AI & journalism. We found that readers often perceive AI involvement even in original, human-written news, & greater perceived AI use was associated with less favorable reactions to the article. Read more: twp.ai/4hv8rA
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
What happens when communities help shape the journalism they need? This experiment with library-based newsrooms offers a creative model for making local information more participatory, accessible, and rooted in the people it serves.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Moderation has long played a role in building healthier online spaces. As AI-generated content becomes harder to distinguish from human contributions, this work faces a new challenge: preserving trust in both the information and the people in online communities.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Interesting that even as the ways people encounter news continue to expand, most people recognize traditional media as sources of news, and only a minority recognize information on platforms as news. A great thread on how people define news!
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
A great look at how newsrooms can build trust with their communities by supporting shared experiences. @ampress.bsky.social
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americanpressinstitute.org
Collective Wisdom: Engaging neighborhoods
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Sometimes better collaboration starts with meeting design. @ampress.bsky.social shares how redesigning leadership meetings around reflection, shared thinking, and strategic focus can create more room for connection and less for simply reporting out.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Can changing a few words make political content easier to receive? Our research finds that using “connective language”—language that signals openness to other perspectives—makes a difference. 🔗 twp.ai/4hv54B
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
AI can assist with research, editing, and fact-checking, but what about writing opinion pieces? @niemanlab.org looks at where newspaper opinion editors are drawing the line, highlighting evolving questions around authorship, transparency, and human voice in journalism.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
📣 TOMORROW: Join CME's Gina Masullo at ISOJ 2026! Don't miss the Rapid Research Roundup at 3 p.m. #ISOJ2026
ISOJ 2026 event poster for Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, titled Rapid research roundup, scheduled for 3:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m., with portraits of Sue Robinson, Benjamin Toff, Gina M. Masullo, and Jay Barchas-Lichtenstein.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
What changes when students have a say in how AI is used in their schools? This piece from @brookings.edu explores how involving students in testing tools and building AI literacy could help move them from passive users to active participants in decisions about technology.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
What lasts after people with different perspectives deliberate? This research by @stanfordcddrl.bsky.social suggests impact may extend beyond changing minds, with structured deliberation linked to longer-term political engagement and a sense that participants’ voices matter.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Nuance can be difficult to preserve when covering highly polarized issues. @reutersinstitute.bsky.social explores how journalists can bring more context, evidence, and firsthand perspectives into immigration reporting while avoiding overly simplistic narratives.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Interesting findings from @niemanfoundation.bsky.social. As AI Overviews reshape search, some nonprofit news outlets are still seeing significant traffic gains. An interesting look at how changes in search are affecting the ways audiences discover and access journalism.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Do smartphones weaken human connection, or simply change where it begins? This piece from @cato.org challenges some common assumptions about technology and relationships, highlighting the ways digital spaces can also bring people together.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Counting newspapers only tells part of the story as @rebuildlocalnews.bsky.social and @poynterinstitute.bsky.social share. Understanding the health of local news also means looking at who is actually reporting in a community and whether newsrooms have the capacity to cover what residents need.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
What happens to accountability reporting when freelancers weigh a story against their own financial risk, shown by @ifjglobal.bsky.social? Indemnification clauses raise questions about how working conditions can influence which stories journalists feel able to pursue.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
What can research tell us about where journalism is headed next? CME Associate Director Dr. Gina M. Masullo will join #ISOJ2026 for the Research Roundup, a session bringing researchers together to share new insights and ideas shaping journalism.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Interesting findings from @niemanlab.org on how the way stories are reported can shape the conversations that follow. More analytical, information-dense stories produced more reasoned discussion—but also fewer commenters.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
How can newsrooms better understand the impact they have in their communities? @ampress.bsky.social explores how events and digital spaces can build connection and trust, featuring insights from CME Director @taliastroud.bsky.social and research from CME and New_ Public on local digital spaces.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
“AI should help you think, not think for you.” Interesting findings from @milalliance.bsky.social on how young people, teachers, and families are using AI for learning. As use grows, building the skills to critically evaluate AI-generated information is becoming increasingly important.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Interesting approach to reaching younger news audiences. @niemanlab.org looks at how The Athletic is partnering with sports creators to bring journalism into the video-first, personality-driven spaces where younger audiences are already spending their time.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Could new tools give independent news organizations more control over how AI companies use their reporting?
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
AI makes it easier than ever to create something that looks like a local news site. But who’s behind it, and why, matters. CME Director @taliastroud.bsky.social weighs in on this Austin Chronicle article on AI-assisted local news and the questions it raises for trust.
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www.austinchronicle.com
AI News Lurks in Austin. Who’s Behind It? • The Austin Chronicle
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Interesting research from @datasociety.bsky.social As AI systems increasingly act on people's behalf, understanding how to preserve meaningful human agency and oversight becomes an important part of studying how these technologies fit into everyday life.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Appreciated this look at AI and privacy. As people share increasingly personal information with chatbots, clear communication about how that information is stored and used becomes an important part of informed technology use.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Thanks for highlighting this distinction @techpolicypress.bsky.social What an AI system is designed to do and how it behaves in practice aren't always the same, making real-world evaluation an important part of understanding these tools.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
“It just opens the floodgates to many, many people with many, many intentions.” — CME Director @taliastroud.bsky.social As AI-assisted local news sites become easier to create, questions about who is behind them—and why—are increasingly important.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Interesting read from @niemanlab.org AI isn't only changing how journalism is produced—it's also reshaping how news reaches audiences and how publishers may be compensated for their work.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
What makes a news story seem biased? Our proposed #SXSW2027 session, Using AI to De-Bias the News, explores what signals bias to readers—and how AI could help journalists identify and reduce those signals. 🗳️ Help us bring the conversation to SXSW! Voting ends today!
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participate.sxsw.com
PanelPicker | SXSW Conference & Festivals
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Important discussion from @gmfus.bsky.social As AI infrastructure expands, understanding how its impacts vary across communities—and how that information is communicated—will be an important part of the broader conversation.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Curious about AI? Looking to improve your online safety? Want to feel more confident navigating today's digital world? Join us for Connected & Confident, an 8-session seminar beginning September 2 at UT Austin. Learn more and register: twp.ai/4htxUM
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Bias isn't always intentional—but audiences still notice it. Our SXSW session helps journalists identify the words, framing, and reporting choices that can influence perceptions of bias, and shows how AI can help journalists spot them before publishing.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Can AI help rebuild trust in journalism? Our proposed #SXSW2027 session explores new research on what readers actually perceive as bias—and how AI can help journalists identify and reduce it. If you'd like to see this conversation at SXSW, we'd appreciate your vote! 🗳️ Vote here:
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Curious about AI? Looking to improve your online safety? Want to feel more confident navigating the digital world? Connected & Confident starts Sept. 2 at UT Austin. Learn more and register: twp.ai/4ht2qC
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Interesting perspective @techpolicypress.bsky.social How organizations define and evaluate harm is a foundational question in AI governance, with important implications for accountability, transparency, and public understanding.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Thanks for sharing this @publicknowledge.bsky.social How organizations communicate information to consumers can have a meaningful impact on transparency, understanding, and decision-making in digital environments.
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Center for Media Engagement - UT Austin @engagingnews.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Excited to share that we submitted a #SXSW2027 PanelPicker proposal! Using AI to De-Bias the News shares how audiences perceive bias in journalism and how AI can reduce framing based on research conducted with newsrooms. If you want this session at SXSW, vote before Aug. 23!
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participate.sxsw.com
PanelPicker | SXSW Conference & Festivals
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