Ed Cray, prolific author, expert in American folklore and beloved professor emeritus of journalism, died on Oct. 8 at the age of 86. An award-winning writer and mentor to faculty and students alike, Cray was esteemed for his nonfiction work, including biographies of folk singer Woody Guthrie and Chief Justice Earl Warren.
Patricia Dean, accomplished broadcast journalist, professor of professional practice and former associate director of USC Annenberg’s School of Journalism, died on Nov. 17 at the age of 72. A lifelong mentor to colleagues and students alike, Dean nurtured and inspired many throughout her career spanning more than four decades.
She might have left her position as an assistant managing editor for the Los Angeles Times and head of the paper’s politics team, but new USC Annenberg faculty member Christina Bellantoni is hardly getting a break from the politics beat during this election cycle.
USC Annenberg faculty across journalism, communication and public relations share their research and teaching.
Digital technology is reshaping media and culture. Our scholars explore how to build and use these new tools responsibly.
Su Jung Kim joined the USC Annenberg faculty as an assistant professor this fall. A native of South Korea, Kim earned her Ph.D. from Northwestern University before doing postdoctoral work there, as well. She then became an assistant professor at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University before moving on to USC. We sat down with her to learn a little more about her research into electronic word-of-mouth, her first impressions of USC Annenberg, and the evolving definition of “big data” and what it means in the world of communications.
Walter R. Fisher, professor emeritus of communication and former director of the School of Communication, died on July 26 at the age of 87. An esteemed teacher and mentor to generations of USC Annenberg students for more than 40 years, Fisher was a prolific scholar best known for his groundbreaking research on the “Narrative Paradigm.”
Murray Fromson, renowned international news reporter, beloved professor emeritus of journalism and esteemed former director of USC Annenberg’s School of Journalism, died on June 9 at the age of 88. An award-winning journalist and a dedicated mentor to hundreds of students, Fromson was a staunch advocate for freedom of the press and journalism ethics, fighting tirelessly for journalists worldwide who often put their lives on the line to ensure a well-informed public.
