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SPRING 2008

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2008 Commencement scheduled for May 24

JMS students will participate in the first of two College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 24, at 12:30 p.m. in Cox Arena.  For the first time, PSFA will have two ceremonies this year. The first ceremony will include students from the School of Journalism & Media Studies, as well as students from the School of Art, Design and Art History; School of Communication; School of Music and Dance; and School of Theatre, Television and Film. The second ceremony, which begins at 4:30 p.m. in Cox Arena, will include students from the School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences; School of Public Affairs; and School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Rehearsal for JMS students will be 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, in Cox Arena. More information and a full schedule of Commencement activities can be found at http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/commencement.

Two JMS faculty members receive grants

JMS Assistant Professor Noah Arceneaux and Professor Joel Davis have received research funding from the San Diego State University Grant Program. Dr. Arceneaux was awarded $3,556 to support research that explores the role of department stores in the development of commercial broadcasting. Dr. Davis was awarded $3,200 to research the effects of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising on teen attitudes and behaviors. Of 139 applications received this fall, the University Grant Program awarded funding totaling $396,985 to 55 different projects.

Dr. William Eadie receives service award

JMS Professor William Eadie received the Samuel L. Becker Distinguished Service Award at the annual meeting of the National Communication Association, Nov. 15-18, 2007, in Chicago. The award is presented annually to a member of NCA who is “judged to have made the greatest contribution to the association and to the profession during his or her career.” Dr. Eadie served as NCA associate director from 1993 to 2001. He also served as the first editor of the Journal of Applied Communication Research and has participated in several departmental program reviews across the country.

Dr. Bey-Ling Sha receives PRSA honor

JMS Assistant Professor Bey-Ling Sha was named Professional of the Year by the San Diego chapter of the Public Relations Society of America at its annual awards banquet on Oct. 16, 2007. Named in memory of Deborah Baker, an outstanding public relations professional, the award recognizes professional achievement and excellence in public relations. It has been awarded in select years since 1963.

 

FALL 2007

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Dr. Noah Arceneaux joins JMS faculty

Noah Arceneaux has joined the faculty at San Diego State University as an assistant professor in the School of Journalism & Media Studies.  He received his Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Georgia in 2007.  His research examines the relationship between technology and culture.  Specifically, he studies the history of broadcasting as well as new forms of electronic communication, such as the growth of mobile media applications.  In 2006, he was invited by Quinnipiac University to develop and teach an online course in producing content for mobile media.

Dr. Arceneaux has worked in major media markets, such as Los Angeles and New York, developing Web sites and interactive projects for several network television programs.  He also has written for a variety of media outlets, and his academic work has been published in several peer-reviewed journals.

In fall semester, Dr. Arceneaux is teaching JMS 412, Media and Empowerment, a new course in the undergraduate Media Studies specialization, and JMS 600A, Introduction to Graduate Study in Mass Communication and Media Studies.

JMS class offerings popular with students

San Diego State University students registered to fill more than 2,600 classroom seats in 34 courses offered by the School of Journalism & Media Studies this fall semester.  The new School, which began official operations on July 1, offered 106 course sections, including 20 sections of JMS 200, Mediated Communication in the Information Age.  JMS 200 is a required class for all students in the School of Journalism & Media Studies and also is a General Education Foundations course.  It is taught in a large (500-seat) lecture twice a week, then broken into 20 small discussion sections every Friday.

The School’s first cadre of Graduate Teaching Associates are leading the discussion sections by using a “blended” instructional format, which combines face-to-face and online components.  JMS 200 is one of six blended classes offered by the School this fall.

Dr. David Dozier receives award in Iran

The Public Relations Research Institute, through the Public Relations Society of Iran, recently selected JMS Professor David Dozier to receive an honorary diploma.  The award recognized Dr. Dozier’s prominence in the field of public relations.  He received the award during an international symposium hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance in Tehran this summer.

Dr. Bey-Ling Sha publishes book chapter

Bey-Ling Sha has a chapter in a new book edited by S. Duhe.  The chapter is titled, “Dimensions of public relations: Moving beyond traditional public relations models,” and it appears in New media and public relations, published by Peter Lang.

Welcome to the School of Journalism & Media Studies!

You are visiting the brand new Web site for the School of Journalism & Media Studies, the newest School at San Diego State University, which began official operations on July 1.

Programs within the School of Journalism & Media Studies prepare students for careers in advertising, journalism, public relations, and other media industries, as well as for jobs in a technologically driven workforce landscape whose future media forms cannot be predicted. The School also offers a master’s degree program in mass communication and media studies.

We have designed the Web site for a variety of users – prospective students, current students, corporate and community partners, faculty, alumni friends of JMS and many others. The media module (above) will showcase interesting programs and research and will be highly interactive, with audio and video components. Check it out by pulling down the menu or by clicking on the blinking lotus flower in the lower left corner of the module. The lotus symbolizes longevity, and the School plans to continue to serve students and the community for many decades to come.

The space where this letter appears is called “The Flash.” In journalism, a “flash” alerts editors that an important, breaking story is about to be transmitted by the news services. Here, The Flash will inform users about the latest awards won by students, the latest research published by faculty, the latest achievements by alumni, anticipated changes to the course schedule, and upcoming events and activities. Keep visiting The Flash for more information about a gala event in November to celebrate the launch of the new School.

Please take a few moments to explore the new JMS Web site. We hope you’ll return for frequent visits for a long time to come.

Diane L. Borden, Ph.D.
Director, School of Journalism & Media Studies

Dr. Bey-Ling Sha active at AEJMC

Dr. Bey-Ling Sha presented three peer-reviewed manuscripts at the recent meeting in Washington, D.C., of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). One manuscript, titled, From Baby Boomers to Generation X: What has changed and what hasn’t for women in public relations, was the Second Place Faculty Research Paper in the Public Relations Division. The paper was co-authored with Dr. David Dozier, a professor in SDSU’s School of Journalism & Media Studies, and Drs. Elizabeth Toth and Linda Aldoory, both from the University of Maryland. In addition to these research paper presentations, Dr. Sha was an invited discussant for other peer-reviewed manuscripts in the Public Relations Division. In Association business, Dr. Sha was re-elected the at-large delegate for the Public Relations Division for 2007-2008.

JMS and IMC students to team up in AAF competition

In fall 2007 and spring 2008, students in Journalism & Media Studies will team up with students in Integrated Marketing Communications to participate in the American Advertising Federation (AAF) competition. The students will develop a campaign for America Online. This highly prestigious competition opportunity will be offered as a collaboration between SDSU’s Marketing Department and the School of Journalism & Media Studies and will require students to enroll in a fall and spring special studies classes in each department/school.

For more information, visit the AAF Web site at www.AAF.org or contact Professor Michael Belch at mbelch@mail.sdsu.edu or Professor Joel Davis at jdavis@mail.sdsu.edu.

 

 

SPRING 2007

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New York Times selects Journalism student

Journalism senior William Bans was admitted into the inaugural program of The New York Times Student Journalism Institute. The institute, which met in Miami January 3-13, is a competitive, hands-on journalism residency program offered to aspiring reporters, editors, and photographers who are members of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). Students are offered the opportunity to sharpen their writing, reporting, editing, and photography skills while covering real stories in the Miami area and working under actual newsroom deadlines. They learn from professional journalists from The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and the Times Company’s Regional Media Group. Students maintained a Web site (www.nytimes-institute.com) and produced a special newspaper containing the best work of the program. Journalism senior Bans is the managing editor of The Daily Aztec and was one of only 20 students, representing 15 colleges and universities from around the country, selected for this year’s program.

Dr. Bey-Ling Sha receives summer research grant

Dr. Bey-Ling Sha has been awarded a $1,675 summer research grant by the Institute for Public Relations to examine the implications of new Census race and ethnicity data for public relations practice. The grant was funded in part by ConAgra Foods, Inc. According to its Web site http://www.instituteforpr.org, "the Institute for Public Relations is an independent nonprofit organization that builds and documents research-based knowledge in public relations, and makes this knowledge available and useful to practitioners, educators, researchers and their clients."

FALL 2006

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M.A. alum named Sally Casanova scholar

Jennifer Chidester, a 2005 graduate of the School's master's program in mass communication and media studies, was selected as a Sally Casanova Scholar in the California Pre-Doctoral Program for the 2007-08 academic year. Ms. Chidester, whose faculty sponsor is Dr. Diane Borden is one of 76 highly qualified students chosen to participate. The program is designed to support the doctoral aspirations of California State University students who have experienced economic and educational disadvantages, who are interested in a university faculty career, and who are perceived to be the leaders of tomorrow. The Casanova scholars receive a stipend to participate in a summer research internship, visit doctoral-granting institutions, and travel to professional conferences during their pre-doctoral year.

Journalism alum gets top CBS post

Armen Keteyian, who graduated cum laude from San Diego State University in 1976 with a bachelor's degree in journalism, has been named chief investigative correspondent for CBS News. Keteyian had been a special features reporter for CBS Sports and for HBO Sports, a correspondent for ABC News, and a reporter for Sports Illustrated. He began his career as a free-lancer for the San Diego Union-Tribune and San Diego Magazine, after spending two years at the Times-Advocate in Escondido . He is the recipient of eight Emmy Awards and in March 2005 received the SDSU Alumni Association's Monty Award for professional accomplishment.

Chicago Tribune publishes Hiro story

Erin Massey Hiro, who teaches public affairs reporting in the journalism program, wrote the lead story for the Chicago Tribune's business section in August. Through extensive reporting and research, she discovered that meal-preparation businesses are making millions by providing healthy, fresh frozen dinners for busy families. Also in August, the North County Times in Escondido published her story about a group of scientists at the University of California at Riverside , who were awarded a multimillion grant to study air pollution. In addition, Ms. Hiro wrote a series of stories for Residential Developer , a new trade magazine, about environmentally friendly housing developments.

Dr. Mei Zhong receives Sasakawa Fellowship

Dr. Mei Zhong was among 20 faculty from across the United States selected to participate in a three-week intensive National Faculty Development Institute on “Incorporating Japanese studies into the undergraduate curriculum.” The program, held on the SDSU campus in June, was designed for full-time faculty without prior experience in Japanese studies, who wished to incorporate information about Japan into the undergraduate courses they teach. As part of the Institute, Dr. Zhong received a $5,500 Sasakawa Fellowship.

Dr. Joel Davis named outstanding teacher

The SDSU chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the official honor society of the National Communication Association, voted to name Dr. Joel Davis the Outstanding Professor in the School of Communication for academic year 2005-06. Lambda Pi Eta has more than 400 active chapters worldwide.

Dr. Bill Eadie visits China

Dr. Bill Eadie presented a paper titled, “Tensions among teaching, research, and professional concerns in the development of the communication discipline in the U.S.,” at the Communication Association of China meeting at Hebei University , in the People's Republic of China , in April. He also presented an expanded version of the paper at the Communication University of China, in Beijing , on the same trip.

New reference work slated

Dr. Bill Eadie recently signed a contract with Sage Publications to edit a two-volume reference work titled, 21st century communication: A reference handbook . As editor, he will identify 100 important topics in communication theory, research, and practice and commission 7,500-word essays on each topic. The essays will be aimed at undergraduates, and the work will be used to help students who are new to the field identify areas of particular interest and resources they can use to learn more about those areas.

Politics/media forum set

Dr. Bill Eadie served on the planning committee for a conference on “Communication as social construction,” which was held August 1-4 in Albuquerque , New Mexico . A project that emerged from the conference seeks to host a forum of politicians, media figures, and academics to discuss how to improve the quality of conversation about important national issues. The group expects the forum to be held in October 2007 at the Clinton School for Public Service, in Little Rock , Arkansas.

Dr. Barbara Mueller presents papers in England

Dr. Barbara Mueller, who co-authored a paper with Sandra Diehl and Ralf Terlutter titled, “A cross-cultural examination of consumer skepticism toward advertising in general vs. pharmaceutical advertising,” presented the research at the fifth annual International Conference on Research in Advertising, held in Bath, England, June 30-July 2. At the same conference, Dr. Mueller also presented a paper she co-authored with K. Tim Wulfemeyer (SDSU), Ralf Terlutter, Sandra Diehl, and James Rada titled, “Mixed messages: Selling food and body images to kids in the U.S. and abroad.”

Drs. Wulfemeyer, Mueller present paper in Reno

Dr. Barbara Mueller and Dr. K. Tim Wulfemeyer presented a paper they co-authored with Ralf Terlutter, Sandra Diehl, and James Rada at the American Academy of Advertising Conference, held in Reno , Nevada , March 29-April 2. The paper, titled, “Childhood obesity and the marketing of food to kids: A cross-cultural comparison of nutritional messages in television advertisements,” was presented as part of a session on “Hot Topics in International Advertising.”

Advertising research receives grant from Japan

The Yoshida Hideo Memorial Foundation in Japan awarded a $33,000 grant to Dr. Barbara Mueller, Shintaro Okazaki, and Charles Raymond Taylor to undertake a two-year exploration of advertising message standardization vs. specialization. The study, titled, “A comparative analysis of the cultural values reflected in Japanese and American advertising: What actually happened during the lost decade?” consists of a content analysis, a consumer survey and an agency survey.