Elevating portrayals of mental health is a key issue for Kristen Bell and Stacy L. Smith — and they’re working together, along with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative , to ensure more stories make it to the screen.
Today, Bell and Smith announced the launch of the Mental Health Accelerator, a program that offers emerging filmmakers grants to...
Athlete-owned media is more than a trend; it’s an economic and cultural shift. By creating content and owning their own platforms, athletes are deciding which stories get told, expanding representation and bringing fans closer than ever. Owning the Narrative , a first-of-its-kind report from USC Annenberg’...
DEI efforts across the entertainment industry have been increasingly under attack — from consumers, lawsuits and even federal policy. Despite the rollback of programs and discussion of DEI, a new study reveals that the perception of an inclusive Hollywood may be just as fictional as the content it sells.
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Adolescence , a show dramatizing the effects of social media on a young boy, has been a huge — and controversial — hit since its release in March 2025. Stories about youth and social media dominated even before the Netflix show’s success, but now, an audience survey is showing strong demand for fresh angles, such as whistleblowers and people standing up to Big Tech....
It has been five years since May 25, 2020, when George Floyd gasped for air beneath the knee of a Minneapolis police officer at the corner of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue. Five years since 17-year-old Darnella Frazier stood outside...
“I was living in the Midwest, but I had access to and exposure to so many different people and perspectives,” says Jodi Ogilvy, a recent Master of Communication Management (MCM) online graduate.
Ogilvy has always been driven to make a difference in the world. That passion led her to a career in the nonprofit sector — and ultimately to USC. Ogilvy recently earned her...
As traditional religious institutions face closures and a growing number of Americans step away from organized religion, new forms of spiritual life are taking shape across the country. With the landscape of belief shifting, USC Annenberg’s Diane Winston , Knight Center Chair in Media and Religion, is helping to chart the course....
The public relations industry is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by artificial intelligence, hybrid work, a changing media landscape, and deepening political divides. Across four generations — Gen Z to Baby Boomers — PR professionals are navigating these transformations, each with unique perspectives on where the industry is headed.
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