= MERG

Starting Fall 2008, several students in my “Economics of New Media” seminar suggested that we form a media economics research group (merg). In no time, our group produced a series of studies on the economics of online news. Because of shared interest, we enjoy working together and research has never been so much fun.

Merg is currently working on new projects on multi-platform news consumption using marketing research methods. We seek collaboration opportunities with news organizations because access to market/audience data is essential for scholars to produce research of real-world relevance. If you have such data (log files or reader-survey data) and hope to make sense of it, please contact us.

Works by MERG

• Chyi, H. I., Yang, M. J., Lewis, S. C., & Zheng, N. (accepted/forthcoming). Use of and satisfaction with newspaper sites in the local market: Exploring differences between hybrid and online-only users. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly.
• Yang, M. J. & Chyi, H. I. (2010). Competing with whom? Where? And how? An empirical study of online newspaper competition. Paper to be presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, Singapore, June 22-26, 2010.
• Zheng, N., Chyi, H. I., & Kaufhold, K. (2010). What is Web traffic worth? A multi-dimensional model for measuring online attention on news sites. Paper to be presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, Singapore, June 22-26, 2010.
• Chyi, H. I. (2010). From a distance: A Zip Code analysis of U.S. online newspaper readers. Paper to be presented at the 9th World Media Economics and Management Conference, Bogotá, Colombia, June 2-6, 2010.
• Chyi, H. I. Lewis, S. C. (2009). U.S. online newspapers’ performance in local markets: A struggle of inter- and intra-media competition. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Boston, August 5-8, 2009.

• Chyi, H. I., Yang, M. J., Sylvie, G., Lewis, S. C., & Zheng, N. (2009). One product, three markets: How market segmentation informs newspapers about their online readership. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Boston, August 5-8, 2009.

• Yang, M. J. & Chyi, H. I. (2009). Who competes with online newspapers? An empirical analysis of intra- and inter-media competition in local and long-distance markets. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Boston, August 5-8, 2009.

• Lewis, S. C., & Yang, M. J. (2009). Attracting the newspaper reader in a new domain: Dimensions of user interest in news content online. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Boston, August 5-8, 2009. *Top student paper award.

• Zheng, N. (2009). Measuring attention on the web: A model of attention dimensions of news and information sites. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Boston, August 5-8, 2009.

• Chyi, H. I., Yang, M. J., Lewis, S. C. & Zheng, N. (2009). An empirical study of online newspaper readership in local markets: Exploring differences between hybrid and online-only users. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, Chicago, May 21-25, 2009.

• Yang, M. J. (2009). Monopoly offline and oligopoly online: An empirical analysis of U.S. newspapers’ local online market structure. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, Chicago, May 21-25, 2009.