My biggest work-related accomplishment for 2018 was finishing my book. #Ferguson: Journalism Tradition, Technology, and Transformation (working title) is under contract with the University of Missouri press and should be published in 2019. The book examines contemporary news coverage of racial issues in a digital era. It combines analysis of coverage and interviews with journalists who covered Ferguson to help understand how the field is changing.
Over the summer, my work in this area earned recognition from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s inaugural Research Prize for Professional Relevance. This will also be the topic of my upcoming presentation for the CHSS Dean’s Lecture Series.
In October, I had the pleasure of being interviewed on KNKX’s All Things Considered about teaching journalism at a time of skepticism. It took about five minutes before former students started reaching out on Twitter because they recognized my voice on the radio. That was my favorite part.
I am continuing to teach reporting and advanced reporting and striving to continue to push audience engagement and big data. I am also still chairing the Student Publications Council.
This summer, I look forward to traveling with Brian Bowe, Joe Gosen and eight WWU journalism students to work with journalists, professors, and journalism students in Tunis, Tunisia. The Tunisian group will visit us in Bellingham in the spring. Brian’s U.S. Department of State grant will allow us to learn from journalists working in an emerging democracy and share our expertise and experiences with them, too. I cannot imagine a more exciting opportunity for people dedicated to our field.
On a personal note, I’m looking forward to officiating the wedding of two of my former students (who didn’t meet until after they graduated) and I’m still adjusting to being the mom of a college freshman (yes, Honey, *read the syllabus*).
I hope our former students will continue to reach out with their life updates. I love seeing what you are doing.