What is journalism’s role in monitoring and supporting the health of communities?

How should media organizations measure their impact?

These are just two of the questions to be explored at “Dissection: B” – a workshop devoted to deepening a sense of what media impact is, how to measure it and why it matters, Jan. 30-31, on Mercer University’s Macon campus.

Mercer’s Center for Collaborative Journalism (CCJ) is co-hosting the workshop with the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) – a non-profit, investigative news organization based in Emeryville, Calif. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation provided funding for the two-day event.

“We are excited to host CIR for this vitally important workshop,” said CCJ Director Tim Regan-Porter. “In any endeavor, the day-to-day fight for survival can cause one to lose sight of its original goals – why it’s worth doing in the first place. That’s especially true in journalism today. If media organizations are going to transform themselves for the digital age, they must take the time to determine their impact on their communities.”

“Dissection is a new series CIR launched to build a community of practice around media impact,” said CIR Chief Strategy Officer Joaquin Alvarado, a member of Mercer’s National Journalism Advisory Board. “Our goal is to find new ways and new networks to improve access to reporting and resources in communities that need them. CCJ is an ideal partner for Dissection B, as they are building an entirely new and collaborative model that shares our goals.”

The workshop begins Thursday with a 1-5 p.m. “Analytics for Impact” workshop in Room 130 of the CCJ. Representatives from area non-profits and community organizations are invited to attend, and can RSVP here.

On Friday, a welcome, introduction and orientation will take place from 8:30-9 a.m. in the Homer and Ruth Drake Field House at Mercer University Stadium. From 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., presentations will be made by Jana Diesner of ConText; Clint Beharry of the Harmony Institute; Andrew Haeg of the CCJ and Groundsource; Linda Fantin of the Public Insight Network and American Public Media; Lindsay Green-Barber of CIR; Michelle Holmes of the Alabama Media Group; and the CCJ’s Regan-Porter.

Lunch, from 12:30-1:30 p.m., includes a keynote by Teya Ryan, president and CEO of Georgia Public Broadcasting. A hands-on design project will take place from 1:30-3:30 p.m., followed by a presentation of group findings and a wrap-up from 3:30-4 p.m.

For more information, click here.