There’s an important part of diversity discussions in newsrooms and classrooms that needs to be addressed: disability. People with disabilities make up an estimated 20% of the population in the United States, and one in five families includes a member with a disability. Despite these statistics, in comparison to other minority groups, people with disabilities are overlooked in news coverage

I recently presented “Too Good to Be True?” at the BEA (Broadcast Education Association) Ignite session in Las Vegas. BEA Ignite shares the best enterprise ideas for the classroom. You can view all the Ignite presentations here. This group exercise helps students determine the credibility of social media information. News professionals can also use these tips. We know misinformation can

An article in Nonprofit Business Advisor explores nonprofits’ use of Facebook in their marketing and public relations efforts. Facebook recently made changes to the algorithm that controls the number of posts people who ‘like’ a page can see.  For example, if you ‘like’ the page of a nonprofit, all of the organizations’ posts may not show up in your news

Despite the seismic changes fueled by the Internet, and exacerbated by the economic downturn that led to the further erosion of advertisers, mainstream media–management as well as rank and file–have been late to adapt to change. Although journalists typically pride themselves on the ability to adapt to changes throughout a workday, their flexible nature has not been so evident when

There are a number of ways job seekers can improve their social media profiles to ensure they stand out (in a positive way!) to potential employers. I share the following tips with my students before they go on the job market. If you’re recently unemployed, you may also find these recommendations helpful. Social media has changed the job search process–even

The MarCom Awards released its list of 2012 winners. I’m thrilled the judges recognized two projects I’ve spent considerable time getting “off the ground.” The 2012 issue of Snapshots of Impact, the annual magazine of the Burton Blatt Institute  at Syracuse University, received a Platinum Award in the competition. I produce the annual magazine, serving as executive editor and writer,

Conversations about the future of journalism often focus on the demise of the industry. I do not argue with the fact that the industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation, an uncertain future. Digital media has allowed a once passive audience to become active consumers and producers of information. An active audience demands more of journalists, one factor leading to an

I recently learned that my research paper has been accepted for presentation at the Association of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) annual conference. My research focuses on journalists’ adoption of new media and the resulting impact on their job routines. Indeed, mass communications has always been influenced by technology, and this is an exciting time to teach and study

A study published in the July 2012 issue of the journal Family Relations is the first to investigate new parents’ use of Facebook. The results are not all that surprising. If you spend even a small amount of time on Facebook, you are bound to see parents boasting about their bundles of joy. The photos shortly after birth or even

As the quieter summer months take hold, with another academic year behind us, this is the perfect time for reflection. Looking back at what was accomplished always seems to put the daily grind into perspective. One of the great joys of this past semester was teaching budding journalists at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School and Utica College. The semester, for the