Faculty Research | Philip Merrill College of Journalism

Research is integral to a bright future for the media industry.

At the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism, we are focused on research that can help the media industry thrive. Whether that means studies into how the public engages with media, the business model of news, press freedom, media and democracy, or in-depth, data-driven journalism produced by our students, Merrill College is on a mission to ensure the journalism industry is valuable and sustainable.

Jump to: Explore Our Research | Our Innovative Journalism | Faculty Researchers

Explore Our Research

Learn about the insightful research being done by our faculty on a wide variety of media-related topics, including to better understand the journalism industry, who it serves and how it operates.

Woman student holding up a recording device while conducting an interview in an office setting

The News You Need (2026)

The Local News Network conducted a human-centered design study by listening to people in Maryland about what "jobs" they need news organizations to do in today’s media landscape.

Read the Study

The Evolving News Landscape (2026)

The Media Insight Project, including the Local News Network, examined how adults and teens engage with news and information in today’s media environment.

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Graphic with a light blue background. At the top, bold black text reads "DISARMING DISINFORMATION | UNITED STATES" separated by a vertical line, with a horizontal line underneath. The main body features a quote: "People know us. They believe us. And that’s something a lot of newsrooms can’t say anymore." – Helina Selemon, New York Amsterdam News. The hashtag #DISARMINGDISINFORMATION is written at the bottom.

Disarming Disinformation (2025)

While political disinformation is surging across the U.S., this ICFJ study found ethnic and Indigenous newsrooms are especially resilient in stopping the spread of false information.

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Faculty member Sean Mussenden points to data on a screen while instructing data journalism students in front of a classroom..

AI Tools to Support Journalism (Ongoing)

Merrill College researchers, practitioners and students are coming together to create, test, pilot and share several AI tools to support local news in the region and more broadly.

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We're doing more exciting things here — particularly in how we're conceptualizing our research and our place in society — than I think any other school is anywhere.

Susan Moeller

Professor of Media and International Affairs; Director of Ph.D. Studies

Our Innovative Journalism

Thanks to our deep faculty of accomplished journalists and industry leaders — especially in data gathering and analysis, and artificial intelligence — Merrill College produces in-depth, data-driven journalism using innovative investigative methods, powered by students.

The journalism published by our Howard Center for Investigative Journalism, Capital News Service, Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism and Local News Network is fueled by research, uncovering information not readily available to the public and affecting real change.

Lethal Restraint (2024)

Our Howard Center's three-year investigation documenting police use of force in collaboration with The Associated Press global investigations team, FRONTLINE (PBS) and the Arizona State University Howard Center.

Project highlights:

Finalist for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting, the first such honor for journalism produced by Merrill College.
Documented more than 1,000 deaths from 2012-21 in the U.S. resulting from police tactics intended to stop people without killing them.
205 Merrill students, faculty and staff contributed to the project, which includes an interactive database, traditional and dynamic storytelling, and a FRONTLINE documentary.

About the Project

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