Mass Communication Division - National Communication Association

Mass Communication Division
National Communication Association
November 2008
Published three times annually by the Mass Communication Division of NCA.
Publications Editor - Adam Earnheardt, Youngstown State University

CONGRATULATIONS
to MCD member Cindy Lont (George Mason University)
on her election to First Vice President-Elect
of the Eastern Communication Association.

Greetings! I hope your Fall semester/quarter is going well and that you are enjoying all of your research, teaching, and service duties. We will soon be gathering in San Diego for our annual meetings at NCA. Vice-Chair Travis Dixon (University of Illinois) and Research Committee Chair Sharon Mazzarella (Clemson University) have planned a wonderful program of panels for the Mass Communication Division. I hope that you will be able to attend as many sessions as possible during your time at the conference. I especially encourage you to attend the Mass Communication Business Meeting, Sunday, November 23 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. in the Manchester Grand Hyatt's Elizabeth H room. The Division Reception follows right after the Business Meeting in the same place, from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m.

I believe this is my last "Welcome from the Chair" for our fine newsletter, The Gatekeeper. I want to take this opportunity to thank our top-notch Publications/Web Editor, Dr. Adam Earnheardt. Dr. Earnheardt's tireless work keeps all of our members up to date on the news of the division. Thanks Adam, you make us all look good.

I also wish to thank all of the MCD officers for their hard work and support during my time as Vice Chair-Elect, Vice Chair, and Chair. It has been a true pleasure to work with you these past years.

Finally, thanks to all of you, the members of the Mass Communication Division for your scholarly achievements and commitment to the division.

Want to be more active in the Mass Communication Division? Submit your name for nomination!

The Mass Communication Division of the National Communication Association is gathering names of those members who are interested in being nominated for open positions. If you submit your name it will appear on the ballot at our meeting next week in San Diego. Elections will take place at this time.

Please send nominations to Karyn Riddle at kriddle@wisc.edu. Please consider self-nomination.

The list at http://www.ncamass.org/cfn.shtml contains details of the positions for which we are accepting nominations and a brief description of the positions.

NOTE: Names submitted for Vice-Chair Officer Elect and Secretary Elect are not nominations, they are for the consideration of the committee which will make the final nominations for these positions.

Please stay after the business meeting and enjoy socializing with your MCD colleagues.

Top papers will be presented during the "Top Competitive Papers in Mass Communication" panel, Sunday, November 23, 12:30pm to 1:45pm in the Manchester Grand Hyatt / Elizabeth H. R. Lance Holbert (The Ohio State University) will serve as respondent.

Most MCD programs take place in the Manchester Grand Hyatt, room Elizabeth A, Elizabeth G, Elizabeth H, Edward B, Edward D, Cunningham B,

Studies on Video Games and Role-Playing Games
8:00am - 9:15am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

From Advocacy Campaigns to Product Placement: Studies on Advertising
8:00am - 9:15am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Frightening News: Coverage of War, Disaster, and Attacks
9:30am - 10:45am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Communicating Sport: Race, Gender, and Celebrity
9:30am - 10:45am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Media Effects: From Soap Operas to Videogames
12:30pm - 1:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Kid Stuff: Children's Television Content
2:00pm - 3:15pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Digitality and Diversity: Television Programming, Technology, and Management
2:00pm - 3:15pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Box? What Box? unCONVENTIONal Ideas for Mass Communication Research
3:30pm - 4:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Cultural Icons: The Commodification and Branding of Celebrities
8:00am - 9:15am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Reality TV: Kids, Idols, Survivors, and Beyond
8:00am - 9:15am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

News Content, Form, and Exposure
9:30am - 10:45am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Romancing the Media: From First Dates to Divorce
9:30am - 10:45am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Edward B

Masculinity, Patriarchy, and Media
9:30am - 10:45am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Cunningham B

Pushing the Envelope: Media Content as Social Commentary
12:30pm - 1:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Analyzing the New Media Landscape: From Blogs to YouTube
12:30pm - 1:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Youth Gone Wild: Media Coverage of the Young
2:00pm - 3:15pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Top Competitive Papers in Mass Communication
3:30pm - 4:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Cross-Cultural Explorations of Risk and Media: From Avian Flu to Nuclear Testing
5:00pm - 6:15pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

The Politics of News: Content and Use of News Coverage of the Political Process
5:00pm - 6:15pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Relationships with Media Figures: New Directions in Parasocial Interaction Research
6:30pm - 7:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth A

Mediated Communication of Health Messages
6:30pm - 7:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Communicating through Visual Imagery in News, Politics, and Advertising
6:30pm - 7:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Young Children and Media: Studies in Cognitive Development, Attention, and Mediation
8:00am - 9:15am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Immigration, Race, and National Context in News Coverage
8:00am - 9:15am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

The Unconventional Mentor: Advice on How to Survive in the 21st Century Academy
9:30am - 10:45am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Hurricane Katrina: News Coverage of Victims and Volunteers
12:30pm - 1:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

New Directions in Research on Gender Differences and the Media
12:30pm - 1:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Current Issues in Film and Television Content
2:00pm - 3:15pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Media Representations of Human Rights Violations: Political Rape and Human Trafficking
3:30pm - 4:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

From Rush Limbaugh to Soap Operas: Racial Stereotyping in Media
3:30pm - 4:45pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Edward D

Unconventional Television: How Humor Challenges Conventional Media Use in Politics.
8:00am - 9:15am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Advances in Entertainment Research: Traditional Theory in Current Contexts
8:00am - 9:15am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Crime and Punishment: Stereotypes and Media Constructions of Crime
9:30am - 10:45am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Reality Bites: Exploring Gender Representations in Reality Television
9:30am - 10:45am
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

Discussing from Within: (Wo)mentoring Across the Academic Lifecycle
11:00am - 12:15pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth G

Diverse Examinations of the Portrayals of Older Adults
11:00am - 12:15pm
Manchester Grand Hyatt, Elizabeth H

A memorial service for Mass Communication Division member Lawrence W. Hugenberg will be held on Saturday, November 22, 12:30-1:45 in the Manchester Grand Hyatt, Room 633.

SIMILE: Studies in Media & Information Literacy Education, a journal for those in the fields of information/media studies, library science, and education, is now available online at http://utpjournals.metapress.com/content/120764/?p=3857c04fe1cb40bfa631ffe5e3dcb7be&pi=15. A subscription to the online version of SIMILE includes access to archived articles, editorials, and book reviews dating from 2002.

Published quarterly, SIMILE features research that advances knowledge about media and information literacy. The journal explores the ways in which social and cultural environments impact media production, and various methods that could be used to teach the skills necessary to navigate through these environments. SIMILE is an invaluable resource for librarians and teachers who give instruction in media literacy.

SIMILE: Studies in Media & Information Literacy Education
University of Toronto Press, Journals Division
5201 Dufferin St., Toronto, ON M3H 5T8 Canada
Tel: (416) 667-7810 Fax: (416)667-7881
Fax Toll Free in North America 1-800-221-9985
Email: journals@utpress.utoronto.ca
www.utpjournals.com/simile

NCA's RFP Tracker identifies funding opportunities (including research grants, residential fellowships, travel funds, awards, etc.) for communication scholars. There are many grant opportunities for those interested in mass communication research. The RFP Tracker lists funding and fellowship opportunities for graduate students, post-docs, faculty, and people outside of the academy.

Congratulations to Cindy Lont (George Mason University) on her election to First Vice President-Elect of the Eastern Communication Association.

Congratulations to MCDs Vice-Chair, Travis Dixon (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), who was promoted to associate professor with tenure.

Mary M. Dalton (Wake Forest University) and Laura R. Linder (Marist College) have published the book Teacher TV: Sixty Years of Teachers on Television, New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 2008.

Donna L. Halper's (Donna Halper and Associates) Icons of Talk: The Media Mouths that Changed America was published by Greenwood Publishing Group (November 2008) as part of the Greenwood Icons Series.

Annalee R. Ward's (Trinity Christian College) chapter entitled “Faith-based Theme Parks and Museums: Multidimensional Media” was published in Schultze and Woods (Eds.) book Understanding Evangelical Media: The Changing Face of Christian Communication. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008. Supporting web site available at http://www.understandingevangelicalmedia.com/index.html

You are warmly invited to the launch of the Journal of International and Intercultural Communication. Join us at the NCA Convention in San Diego on Friday, November 21 at 12.15pm. Visit the Routledge booth in the exhibition hall to celebrate the launch with refreshments and meet the Editor, Tom Nakayama.

Point Park's Journalism and Mass Communication Department, having the third largest student enrollment among all journalism programs in Pennsylvania as of Fall 2007, seeks an experienced, visionary communication professional and academic to serve as the founding dean for its new School of Communication to be established in Fall 2009. The dean will report to the provost and will be supported by a full-time assistant dean, faculty chairing departments or leading programmatic areas, and a director of academic administration.

This exciting opportunity is part of Point Park's vision to become one of the most dynamic private urban universities in the nation and its $200 million plus growth plan to provide an Academic Village within Downtown Pittsburgh. (See www.pointpark.edu) This growth accompanies a major building renaissance in Downtown Pittsburgh.

The School of Communication undergraduate programs include print journalism, broadcast (radio and television), advertising and public relations, photojournalism, photography, digital media and integrated marketing communications. Point Park's master's degree program is the largest in Pennsylvania devoted exclusively to journalism and mass communication, and it is also the largest comprehensive master's degree program in journalism/mass communication in the state. Total student enrollment this fall is 588. There are 11 full-time faculty members and on average 25 adjunct faculty each semester, all connected to their professional disciplines, all dedicated to teaching as their major activity and responsibility. The university is respected in the professions and networked with alumni, media and communication professionals who maintain loyal ties with the faculty and current students. Outreach includes AAF, NPPA, PRSA and SPJ, with appropriate student chapters. Faculty members are active in AEJMC, NCA, ICA, AFTRA, ONA and BEA and other academic and professional associations. The school established an Innocence Institute in 2001, a student News Service partnering with Trib Total Media in 2005, and has a weekly student newspaper, a campus and web streamed radio station and an internal student cable television channel. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, AEJMC's second largest and second oldest scholarly journal, currently is headquartered in the department.

*Provide educational leadership in the development of the new school in consonance with the mission of the University.

*Represent the University in external fundraising activities and act as a spokesperson for the University's mission to outside audiences.

*Ensure integrity of the school's curricula and instruction by continual assessment and updating.

*Conduct program reviews, and with appropriate faculty, assist in developing new programs.

*Serve as a member of the Deans Council that includes the schools of Business, Arts and Sciences and Performing Arts.

*Participate in the ongoing professional development of faculty and planning within the University.

*Work with the University's enrollment officers to ensure co-ownership for new and continuing enrollment goals. *Must teach at least one class per semester.

Qualifications: The successful candidate should have an earned doctorate and have substantial, full-time, successful teaching experience in a discipline within Journalism and Mass Communication. Considerable, recent professional experience in journalism and mass communication is required. Additionally, the successful candidate must have experience in leading, developing, implementing and evaluating academic programs; in the evaluation and development of faculty; in budget and personnel management; and in the implementation of strategic planning and fundraising.

Application Procedure: A letter of application and resume with three reference letters should be sent to Trudy Williams, Assistant Provost for Administration, c/o the Office of Human Resources, Point Park University, 201 Wood Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Digital submissions are very strongly encouraged and may be sent to Trudy Williams, Assistant Provost for Administration, c/o HROffice@pointpark.edu. Review of applications will begin on November 20, 2008 and will continue until the position is filled. Official transcripts will be required if candidate is invited to interview. Salary is commensurate with credentials and experience.

Application Information:
Trudy Williams
Assistant Provost for Administration
c/o Human Resources Office
Point Park University
201 Wood Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Email Address: HRoffice@pointpark.edu

University of Florida
Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management
Assistant Professor in Sport Management

Position:
Assistant Professor in Sport Management (tenure accruing position). The University of Florida (UF) invites applications and nominations for a sport management faculty position at the Assistant Professor rank. As a member of the Association of American Universities and the flagship institution in Florida, UF (http://www.ufl.edu) is a Land-Grant and Sea-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines. The Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management (www.hhp.ufl.edu/trsm.php) currently enrolls approximately 1000 students (900 undergraduates, 100 graduates) with 20 full-time faculty members, and provides nationally and internationally recognized education and research programs.

Candidates must be able to teach at least two of the following graduate and undergraduate courses within the sport management curriculum: sport finance, sport sociology, sport facility management, organizational behavior of sport organizations, legal aspects of sport, sport marketing, and sport consumer behavior.

Application Deadline:
All application materials must be submitted by December 5, 2008.

Application Process:
To be considered, applications must be submitted on-line at https://jobs.ufl.edu (position # 00004407, requisition # 0800952) and must include a letter of application with a statement of career goals, research interests, and professional accomplishments; curriculum vitae; names, mailing addresses, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of at least three references; and three relevant publications, submissions, or other evidence of scholarly writing. Inquiries and nominations about this position should be directed to the Chair of the Search Committee:

Dr. May Kim
College of Health and Human Performance
P. O. Box 118208
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-8208
E-mail mkim@hhp.ufl.edu
Tel 352-392-4042 ext 1429
Fax 352-392-758

This position is responsible for teaching introductory courses in speech communications, public speaking, and possible cognate area such as mass media, journalism, and/or drama on a nine-month basis. Includes teaching day, evening classes and possible weekend and off-site sections. In this tenure track position, the successful candidate will have faculty responsibilities of teaching, scholarly activity, and service. In addition, the candidate will have administrative responsibility as an area coordinator for communication, which may include supervision of adjunct faculty in the area and related administrative duties.

Qualifications: Equivalent of two years classroom experience in communication and/or public speaking are required. Evidence of successful teaching effectiveness is required. Recent college-level teaching experience is preferred. The successful candidate will be committed to teaching introductory-level public speaking and communication courses in a two-year college setting.

Education: An earned doctorate in Communications is required. A specialization in public speaking is preferred. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

To apply for this position, submit a letter of application and resume with names of at least three references to: Ms. Cathy Cooper
The University of Akron
Wayne College
1901 Smucker Road
Orrville, OH 44667
or email to ccooper@uakron.edu.

The Tennessee State University Department of Communications invites applications for a tenure-track Professor with teaching and professional experience in multimedia journalism beginning August 2009. We seek a student oriented colleague committed to telling compelling stories and who understands how to produce stories across print, broadcast, and on-line platforms.

The new hire will participate in our evolving journalism curriculum including classes in print, audio/video or web, using appropriate software.

The candidate may oversee the student newspaper, be involved with the student tv newscast and/or teach a capstone course in multimedia journalism. Candidates should hold a MA (required), Ph.D. preferred in Mass Communications, Media Studies, Telecommunications, or related Media field. We seek someone who has strong writing, editing and design skills. The candidate will be familiar with web newspaper pubishing platforms and experienced with newsblogging along with mobile and social media as news platforms.

Application Information Contact:
Office of Human Resources
Tennessee State University
Phone: 615-963-5281
Online App. Form: http://jobs.tnstate.edu

Chair - R. Lance Holbert School of Communication The Ohio State University 3016 Derby Hall 154 North Oval Mall Columbus, OH 43210-1339 holbert.27@osu.edu (614) 247-7644	Vice Chair - Travis L. Dixon Dept. of Speech Comm. Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 702 S. Wright St. #244 Lincoln Urbana, IL 61801 tldixon@uiuc.edu (217) 244-0104 (phone) (217) 244-1598 (fax)
Vice Chair Elect - Andrew C. Billings Communication Studies Dept Clemson University 409 Strode Tower Clemson, SC 29634-0533 acbilng@clemson.edu (864) 656-1477	Past Chair - J. Emmett Winn Dept. of Communication & Journalism 217 Tichenor Hall Auburn University Auburn, Alabama 36849 winnjoh@auburn.edu (334) 844-2761
Secretary - Jae-Hwa Shin University of Southern Mississippi School of Mass Communication and Journalism Box 5121 Hattiesburg, MS 39406 jaehwashin@yahoo.com (601) 266-4282	Secretary Elect - Meghan S. Sanders Louisiana State University Manship School of Mass Communication Louisiana State University 211 Journalism Bldg. Baton Rouge, LA 70803 msand@lsu.edu (225) 578-7380
Publications/Web Editor - Adam Earnheardt (term expires November 2009) Youngstown State University Dept. of Communication 1 University Plaza Youngstown, OH 44555 acearnheardt@ysu.edu (330) 941-1845	Graduate Student Rep - Nick Bowman College of Communication Arts & Sciences Michigan State University 557 Comm Arts & Sci East Lansing, MI 48824 bowmann5@msu.edu (517) 355-2170
Research Committee
Research Committee Chair - Sharon R. Mazzarella Communication Studies Dept Clemson University 410 Strode Tower Clemson, SC 29634-0533 smazzar@clemson.edu (864) 656-4399	Research Committee Vice Chair - Rebecca M. Chory Department of Communication Studies 108 Armstrong Hall, P.O. Box 6293 Morgantown, WV 26506-6293 West Virginia University rchoryas@wvu.edu (304) 293-3905
Research Committee Vice Chair Elect - Jennifer Stevens Aubrey Department of Communication University of Missouri-Columbia 203B Switzler Hall aubreyj@missouri.edu (573) 882-0739
Nominations Committee
Karyn Riddle (Chair) University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication 5014 Vilas Communication Hall 821 University Ave Madison, WI 53706 kriddle@wisc.edu (608) 263-7836	Mary Beth Earnheardt Youngstown State University Department of English 1 University Plaza Youngstown, OH 44555 mearnheardt@ysu.edu (330) 941-1655
Rebecca M. Verser New Mexico St. Univ. Dept of Comm. Studies MSC 3W; P. O. Box 30001 Las Cruces, NM 88003 rmverser@nmsu.edu (505) 646-1603	Janellen Hill Department of Communication Arts Regis University 3333 Regis Blvd, E-8 Denver, CO 80221 jhill@regis.edu (303) 458-4969
Mina Tsay University of Kentucky Department of Communication 238 Grehan Building Lexington, KY 40506-0042 mina.tsay@uky.edu (859) 257-4651
NCA
Legislative Assembly - Stan Tickton (term expires November 2008) Norfolk State University Mass Communication/Journalism 700 Park Ave., Unit 3249 Norfolk, Virginia 23504 stickton@nsu.edu (757) 823-2383	Legislative Assembly - Jane Banks (term expires November 2009) Indiana University/Purdue University Dept of Communication 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd. Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805-1499 banksj@ipfw.edu (260) 481-6548
Resolutions Committee - Sahara Byrne Department of Communication Cornell University 314 Kennedy Hall Ithaca, NY 14853 seb272@cornell.edu (607) 255-8058	Nominating Committee - Cary Horvath Youngstown State University Dept. of Communication 1 University Plaza Youngstown, OH 44555 clhorvath@ysu.edu (330) 941-3631

The next issue of the Gatekeeper (newsletter for the NCA Mass Communication Division) will be published in early-2009. We need your news. Please provide calls, updates, and other information you would like considered for publication in the newsletter (e.g., position announcements, new books, appointments, etc.). Send your news by January 9, 2009 to Adam C. Earnheardt at acearnheardt@ysu.edu.