This article presents a hybrid methodological technique that fuses elements of experimental design with qualitative strategies to explore mediated communication. Called the "qualitative experiment," this strategy uses focus groups and in-depth interviews "within" randomized stimulus conditions typically associated with experimental research. This mixed methods research draws on the advantages of qualitative inquiry to better understand meaning construction and gain a more holistic reading of response differences between varied groupings of mediated content. (Contains 1 note, 1 table, and 1 figure.)