Discussion Papers

Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are written by fellows and visiting scholars. They are works of academic writing related to the Center’s core research initiatives, and are published by the Center with the goal of getting new ideas and research into the public eye.

The views expressed in Shorenstein Center Discussion Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Harvard Kennedy School or of Harvard University.

Discussion Papers have not undergone formal review and approval. Such papers are included in this series to elicit feedback and to encourage debate on important issues and public policy challenges.

Discussion Papers are published under the Kennedy School’s Open Access policy. Papers may be downloaded and will remain available to the public for free on our website.

Discussion Papers, Policy & Issues, Publications, Tech Policy,
Key Elements and Functions of a New Digital Regulatory Agency
February 12, 2020
This Policy Paper is part of the Digital Platforms & Democracy Project’s efforts to explain and disseminate ideas about regulation of major technology...
Discussion Papers, Journalistic Practice, Local News, Media Business, News Business & Practice, Papers, Publications,
Case Study: Mother Jones
December 9, 2019
Creating a Thriving Legacy News Magazine through Mission, Strategy, and Experimentation Case Study co-published by the Shorenstein Center on Media,...
Discussion Papers, Local News, Media Business, News Business & Practice, Publications,
Can Public Media Help Fix Market Failures in Local News?
December 4, 2019
The Public Media Merger project is taking an in-depth look at the public media/digital newsroom mergers across the country in the last decade, to understand...
Discussion Papers, Journalistic Practice, Media Business, News Business & Practice, Publications,
The Commons: Student Workshop Reimagines Political Media
December 3, 2019
The Commons is a prototype of an imagined news outlet covering U.S. politics. It is the product of an eight-week discussion workshop this fall at...
Discussion Papers, Local News, Media Business, News Business & Practice, Papers, Publications,
A Landscape Study of Local News Models Across America
July 3, 2019
Local journalism is in crisis, off and online. Years of downsizing in the face of digital disruption have weakened regional and local news organizations....
Discussion Papers, Media Business, News Business & Practice, Papers, Publications,
Small is Beautiful
June 3, 2019
The decline of the legacy media started long before the Internet, but the Internet exposed a business model that relied too heavily on the wrong customers....
Discussion Papers, Disinformation, International Affairs, Journalistic Practice, Papers, Publications, War, Defense & Security,
Understanding Douma
May 14, 2019
The New Media Propaganda Wars and the Value of a Second Draft Read the paper A new paper by James Harkin, Joan Shorenstein Fellow (Fall, 2018) and Director...
Discussion Papers, Media Business, News Business & Practice, Papers, Public Interest Journalism, Publications,
Streaming War Won
April 29, 2019
Every era and every new medium — print, radio, television, cable, and the Internet — has found news essential to building and keeping audience. What does...
Campaigns, Elections & Parties, Discussion Papers, Papers, Politics & Government, Publications,
Assessing Campaign Quality: Was the 2016 Presidential Campaign a Travesty?
April 18, 2019
By Roderick P. Hart, Fall 2018 Shorenstein Fellow and Shivers Chair in Communication and Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin This essay...
Discussion Papers, Domestic Affairs, Government Institutions, Papers, Policy & Issues, Politics & Government, Public Interest Technology, Publications, Race & Gender,
Can Cities Save the Census? A Local Framework for Our Nation's First Digital Count
April 1, 2019
With trust in federal government and institutions at historic lows, local governments, including cities and counties, must play a critical role in the...