| Abstract: |
Many research institutions aim to have a strong public impact but little
evidence exists on the extent to which research findings reach a wider
audience. Using a large sample of studies released in the working paper series
of the National Bureau of Economic Research, I identify online coverage of
research findings in 6 major news outlets. The analysis shows significant
coverage rates in most newspapers in the first month after study release.
Overall, about every 11th working paper is covered at least once during this
period. I also find that media reporting is correlated with several author and
study characteristics. While differences in coverage between most research
areas are modest, empirical as well as US-focused studies receive
substantially more attention. In particular, widely cited papers are covered
more frequently, showing that academic success of studies serves as a strong
predictor for wider public impact. |