Who’s been hitting the headlines, and why?

This blog lists some of the highest reaching[1] charity news stories from the past seven months.

The Guardian and Daily Mail Online are the highest reaching publishers of digital third-sector related content:

• The Guardian achieved the highest reach overall for charity related stories in January, February, May and July (so far), and the Daily Mail Online dominated March, April and June.
   
• Digital news publishers who operate behind a paywall (e.g. The Times) do not achieve as high a level of reach as The Guardian or Daily Mail Online.
   
• The Huffington Post achieved the highest reach of the year so far for an individual news story on mobile phone games which help support charities (67 million reach).
   
• The majority of the Daily Mail Online’s high performing charity related digital news stories are centred on celebrity involvement or connection with a charity or cause. Other high performing topics include international development and domestic issues (e.g. debt, animal welfare).
   
• The Guardian’s high performing charity related digital news stories encompass a broader range of topics. These include government regulation of charities, disability, health, an ageing population, the refugee crisis, and LGBTQ+ issues as well as celebrity involvement or connection with a charity or cause.
   
• The majority of news stories make reference to individual charities within the context of a broader issue or theme. This may be because of the charities expertise or involvement with the issue, or the involvement of a person of interest with the charity.
   
• Our recent trust research found that charities are seen as an ‘accurate’ and ‘unbiased and impartial’ source of information, trusted ‘a great deal or quite a lot’ by the public.
   
• The stories tend to feature a range of smaller charities rather than big household name charities.

Some of the Top Charity Stories by the Guardian:

1. Have-a-go heroes: the women saving elephants in their free time – The Guardian, 55M reach, July 2017
   Charities mentioned: Action For Elephants UK (AFEUK), Lion Guardians, Kenyans United Against Poaching (KUAPO), David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
    
2. Sport, skills and storytelling: how charity begins at school – The Guardian, 54M reach, January 2017
   Charities mentioned: Red Nose Day, Trust Links, Education Exchange, City Year UK
    
3. New Oxfam app aims to rebuild trust in charities and increase donations – The Guardian, 54M reach, January 2017
   Charities mentioned: Oxfam
    
4. Coldplay throw support behind refugee and migrant charity – The Guardian, 54M reach, February 2017
   Charities mentioned: Migrant Offshore Aid Station (Moas), Oxfam, Red Cross, War Child, Amnesty International, Kids Company
    
5. Charity backed by millions from One Direction has accounts frozen– The Guardian, 51M reach, April 2017
   Charities mentioned: Believe in Magic
    
6. Only £10 has been donated to Rape Crisis since Broadchurch started – why? – The Guardian, 51M reach, April 2017
   Charities mentioned: Rape Crisis, Refuge

Some of the Top Charity Stories by The Daily Mail:

1. BBC may ask well-off OAPs to pay the licence fee 'voluntarily' but says it won't become a charity mugger – Daily Mail Online, 54M reach, March 2017
   Charities mentioned: None
    
2. IS plotting terror attacks on British Jews: Warning from Amber Rudd as she claims community is a 'legitimate target' for jihadists – Daily Mail Online, 54M reach, March 2017
   Charities mentioned: Community Security Trust
    
3. Finally you can banish charity junk mail: From tomorrow a free service will let you block letters, calls and emails – Daily Mail Online, 53M reach, July 2017
   Charities mentioned: None
    
4. Charities STILL think pressure tactics are justified: Watchdog chief says some believe 'the end justifies the means' over aggressive fundraising techniques – Daily Mail Online, 53M reach, July 2017
   Charities mentioned: None
    
5. More than 100 people an hour sign up to no-call list on its first day to stop charities pestering them – Daily Mail Online, 53M reach, July 2017
   Charities mentioned: None
    
6. Earl Spencer's top seats for a charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall are touted online for £800 – Daily Mail Online, 52M reach, January 2017
   Charities mentioned: Teenage Cancer Trust