The Dallas Morning News is a leader in using engagement journalism to increase and retain digital subscribers. This ethnography examined the efficacy of the engagement journalism work by the News in rebuilding trust and forming relationships with its audience. This research is exceptionally timely as more newsrooms are erecting paywalls to their content and asking their audiences to offer monetary support in exchange for greater access and engagement by journalists. This work is examined through two mass communications theories: functionalism, which says a society can be viewed like an ecosystem as a "system in balance" consisting of complex sets of interrelated activities, each of which supports the others in maintaining the system as a whole; and the dual responsibility model, which says that companies should operate in the best interests of all in the community who depend on them, not only those who benefit financially. Additionally, the work is considered from a human-interaction design standpoint to evaluate whether the News has created affordances that enable the journalists and the readers to communicate, and whether the journalists are effectively practicing service design when publishing news and information for the audience.

Work of art in archival inkjet prints by artist Kendra Smith as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "The Walk".

Work of art in Charred corn husks by artist Karla Garcia part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Uncertain Ground."

Work of art of installation image by artist Sarah Janke as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Bewildering Genealogy"

Work of art in stoneware, cone 7 oxidation by artist Lyndee Deal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Live With It!"

Work of art in mixed media (in variable dimensions, shown at Oak Street Hall Gallery (Denton, Texas)) by artist Hanna Pettyjohn as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Kaugnayan (Connections)".

Work of art in copper, enamel, sterling silver, and steel by artist Jessica Sawyer as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "North".

Work of art in ceramic, sculpture, wood, and trash by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Each year, at least 8.8 million tons of plastics are leaked into the ocean: the equivalent of dumping the contents of one garbage trucks into the ocean every minute. The ocean currents carry this trash and dump it onto beaches. The crisis is of massive proportion. An unprecedented plastic tide has occurred, pervasively affecting the world’s oceans, beaches, coasts, seafloor, animals and ultimately, us.

Work of art in MDF, pine, paper (Paper mache of museum visitor responses on paper) by artist Karla Garcia part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Uncertain Ground."

Work of art in archival inkjet prints (40 prints each 8 x 10 inches) by artist Kendra Smith as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "The Walk".

Work of art (variable dimensions) in Porcelain, corn husk paper, wire, graphite, table (burnout porcelain objects fired to cone 10 in soda atmosphere and in oxidation) by artist Karla Garcia part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Uncertain Ground."

Work of art in archival inkjet prints (64 prints each 4 x 6 inches) by artist Kendra Smith as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "The Walk".

Work of art in stoneware, cone 7 oxidation, MDF, glitter, resin by artist Lyndee Deal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Live With It!"

Work of art in mixed media (in variable dimensions, shown in MFA exhibition "Kaugnayan(Connections)," by artist Hanna Pettyjohn.

Work of art in installation Shot (Photo by Megan Desoto) by artist Alyssa Russell as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "On/Scenity".

Work of art (variable dimensions) in Paper, cart, wire by artist Karla Garcia part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Uncertain Ground."

Work of art in School desk, powder coated, steel, sharpie (other media include color sharpie) by artist Jason Thomson as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Drawback".

Work of art in ceramic sculpture, steel, trash by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Each year, at least 8.8 million tons of plastics are leaked into the ocean: the equivalent of dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. Unless corrective action is taken, this figure is expected to increase to two trucks per minute by 2030, and four per minute by 2050.The oceans currently hold over 150 million tons of plastic waste.

Work of art in installation Shot (Photo by Megan Desoto) by artist Alyssa Russell as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "On/Scenity".

Work of art in stoneware, cone 7 oxidation, MDF, glitter, resin by artist Lyndee Deal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Live With It!"

Work of art in archival inkjet prints (various sizes) by artist Kendra Smith as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "The Walk".

Work of art in stoneware, cone 7 oxidation, MDF, glitter, resin by artist Lyndee Deal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Live With It!"

Work of art in photographic fabric on dining chairs by artist Megan A. DeSoto as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Beauty Remains, Object Portraiture"

Work of art in newspaper by artist Amy Wachal as part of a 2019 MFA Exhibition, entitled "Angelfish Prayers". Fish created from current newspaper headlines about the degradation of the oceans