What really is the 'most important measure' of a journalist's work?

The most important measure of a journalist’s work is* impact*, right?  Isn’t that’s why we became journalists in the first place?  It certainly wasn’t for the money. 

But this new survey discovered that journalists believe unique users is the overwhelming measure of success.  Page views, social followers and sharing followed as other important metrics.

Sure, we can’t measure impact.  At least yet.  That’s why we fall back on the longstanding media metrics of reach and frequency, which drive our business.  But if we’re truly making a difference – and we can take credit for it – then wouldn’t reach and frequency follow?  Couldn’t impact metrics extend to native advertising, too?

Let’s work on this as an industry.  In order to measure impact, we have to make it.  Let’s enable our audience to take action from our stories and gather data around it.  Mobile is a unique opportunity to make this happen. Let’s stop guessing if we make a difference.

PS. Congrats to ImpactStory for landing a $250K grant from the Sloan Foundation.  We need more efforts like these.