Media Tenor to Open Media Impact Center in Boston

Agenda Setting Research increasingly in need for up-to-date trend data

Zurich, 17 June, 2008: Over the past 24 months the requests for ongoing and-up-to date media analysis have grown. After several joint studies with the Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School for Government, Media Tenor reached a decision to open a Media Impact Center in Boston this year. “Our more than 80 Million data units will be part of this center to allow experts from all over the world access to our research, and help PhD students to work on long term trend data”, Roland Schatz points out. The Founder and President of Media Tenor International explains the need for this institution which so far has provided data to support over 250 completed PhD and Masters papers. “We need to structure this support and I can not think of a better place than Boston, the financial and academic hub, with its 72 universities and science institutions”. Prof. Matthew Baum, Kennedy School for Government, describes the relationship with Media Tenor as follows. “Media Tenor’s news content analysis data were essential for several of my recent projects, allowing me to trace the ebb and flow of print and electronic media coverage of a variety of issues and notable political figures at an extremely nuanced level. Without these data, it would have been virtually impossible to test many of my theoretical predictions.”

The request for truly international media impact data has increased after Media Tenor started to invite scolars and practicioners to work together during the annual International Agenda Setting Conference. “Media Tenor has produced volumes of systematically coded content data on issues and actors reported in the news in countries around the world. Their research provides strong evidence for an agenda-setting effect of the media on public opinion”, says Prof. Holli S emetko, Provost of Emory University, Atlanta and Member of the Advisory Board of Media Tenor.

Since 1999, this conference has taken place in Germany, Switzerland and South Africa. Scientists are increasingly studying the effects of media coverage not only during election campaigns (such as the original Chapel Hills study 40 years ago), but increasingly in the areas of forecasting the consumer confidence index, the impact of media on tourism and crime perception. Additionally, research is focusing on the significant effects between financial analyst comments and resulting share price developments.

For more information visit: http://www.mediatenor.com/.

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