Case Studies Collection - Knight Case Studies Initiative

A first round of teaching cases was designed for a pilot course, “Decision-making in Journalism,” that ran Spring 2008 at the Journalism School. The multimedia case studies are all online.

The Initiative’s cases will be available for purchase by journalism schools, news organizations and others. Individuals or institutions interested in learning more about the studies should email Initiative Director Kirsten Lundberg.

The completed cases include:

Crowdsourcing Part A: Promise or Hazard? CSJ-08-008.0 Part B: "Help Us Investigate" CSJ-08-008.1 This two-part case looks at the research method “crowdsourcing,” pioneered by the private sector (The Wisdom of Crowds), and examines its usefulness. The Fort Myers (FL) News-Press and Gannett executives believe crowdsourcing —turning to consumers for expertise and information—holds promise for newspapers. View the first page of Part A  View the first page of Part B
Integrity on Deadline: ABC News and the Duke Lacrosse Photographs CSJ-08-0007.0 This case describes ABC News and its early coverage of an alleged rape by members of the Duke University lacrosse team in 2006. The narrative stops at a point in mid-April when the ABC News Vice President for Editorial Quality, Kerry Smith, had to decide whether or not to broadcast photographs from the party at which the alleged rape took place. View the first page of this case
From Concept to Story: Time Magazine and "America at 300 Million" CSJ-07-0001.0 This case study tells the story of of how one editor at Time magazine took a concept—create a “mirror on America”—and translated it into 12 pages in the magazine. The case describes the kind of decisions editors have to make on a daily basis. View the first page of this case
Charting a Course for Change: Transforming the Albany Times Union in a Wired World CSJ-07-0002.0 This case study takes students inside the strategic thinking of the executive team at the Albany Times Union, a prototypical regional newspaper. Like other newspapers, it faced the challenge of transforming from a traditional ink-on-paper product to a hybrid paper/Web product. View the first page of this case
Settle or fight? Far Eastern Economic Review and Singapore CSJ-08-0006.0 This case is about the challenge faced by the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) and its parent, Dow Jones, when in 2006 FEER ran afoul of Singapore’s leaders and its government. The case traces the history of the media, both domestic and international, in Singapore. View this case
New England Cable News and the Terry Glenn Story CSJ-08-0004.0 This case is about how a news organization, New England Cable News (NECN), handles the arrival of a fax alleging sexual misconduct by a member of the New England Patriots football team. The case proceeds in real time, allowing students to experience the pressures of a newsroom deadline. View the first page of this case
Frontline’s “The Last Abortion Clinic”: What’s Fair in a Video World? CSJ-08-0005.0 This case takes students behind the scenes into the making of a news documentary for Frontline, produced at the PBS affiliate in Boston (WGBH). The case tells the story of the making of “The Last Abortion Clinic,” a 2005 documentary by producer Raney Aronson and her team. View this case
The Bakersfield Californian and Blogging the Courtroom CSJ-08-0003.0 This case is about the professional conflict one journalist at the Bakersfield Californian experiences when editors ask her to “blog” from a trial she is covering. In the blog, which appears within a special section of the Bakersfield.com, she is asked to offer informal observations and commentary on the complicated murder case. View the first page of this case

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