Journalism, News, and Information
Our research and learning community recognizes that journalism, news, and information have consequences for how societies function, adapt, and thrive. We have three broad, overlapping goals:
- To describe, understand, and challenge the news and information environment – how do news and information construct and represent social, cultural, and physical realities? What's considered news (and what isn’t)? What might alternative news and information environments look like?
- To understand the institutions, people, and processes that create and shape the news and information environment we have (or don’t have).
- To know how people find and engage (or don’t engage) with news and information and the impact that engagement has on individual and collective well-being, knowledge, and action.
Centers and Labs
The Center for Journalism Studies is committed to making journalism better and the study of journalism better. It works to facilitate its innovation centerpiece, the American Communities Project; support collaborative projects, both within MSU and across the world; collect and curate news and journalism research resources; welcome journalism scholars for collaborative projects.
The Knight Center for Environmental Journalism teaches student and professional journalists how to better report on the world’s most important beat.
The Social Media and Neuroscience Lab researches how the human brain processes socially communicated information.
The American Communities Project uses data and reporting to make sense of the social, cultural, and political changes transforming America at the local level.
Featured Faculty
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Manuel Chavez
ProfessorDepartment
JournalismDr. Chavez works on issues of international relations, security, democracy, and the press. He studies models of access to information, accountability and transparency, especially related to the news media in Latin America.
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Faculty
Tim Vos
School of Journalism DirectorDepartment
JournalismTim P. Vos is Professor and Director of the Michigan State University School of Journalism. Vos is an International Communication Association (ICA) Fellow and a past president of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC).
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Serena Miller
Associate ProfessorDepartment
JournalismSerena Miller (Ph.D., Michigan State University) is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University, former Methodology Associate Editor for Review of Communication Research, and a former Associate Editor for Journalism Studies.
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Folu Ogundimu
Associate ProfessorDepartment
JournalismDr. Folu Ogundimu is a professor in the School of Journalism and the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University, East Lansing. At MSU, Dr. Ogundimu teaches courses on international journalism and media globalization, broadcasting, health communication and documentary research in journalism and mass communication.
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Bruno Takahashi
Brandt Endowed Professor of Environmental CommunicationDepartment
JournalismBruno Takahashi is a professor of environmental journalism and communication at Michigan State University with a joint appointment in the School of Journalism and AgBioResearch.
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Eric Freedman
Knight Center for Environmental Journalism Chair and ProfessorDepartment
JournalismEric Freedman is Professor of Journalism and former Associate Dean of International Studies and Programs. During his 20-year newspaper career, he covered public affairs, environmental issues and legal affairs for newspapers in New York and Michigan, winning a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of a legislative corruption scandal.
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Lucinda Davenport
University Distinguished ProfessorDepartment
JournalismDr. Lucinda D. Davenport is a University Distinguished Professor in the School of Journalism at Michigan State University and heads the Graduate Program in Journalism. She recently stepped aside as Director of the School of Journalism after 10 years. Before that, she was the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research for the College of Communication Arts and Sciences.
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Geri Zeldes
ProfessorDepartment
JournalismGeri Alumit Zeldes, Ph.D., is a tenured professor in MSU’s School of Journalism. Her anthology includes journal articles, documentary films, radio documentaries, book chapters and a comic book - many works recognized by international communication associations such as the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the Broadcast Education Association.
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David Poulson
Senior Associate Director, Knight Center for Environmental JournalismDepartment
JournalismDavid Poulson is the senior associate director of Michigan State University’s Knight Center for Environmental journalism. He also directs the translational scholars program at MSU's Global Center for Food Systems Innovations.
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Joanne Gerstner
Brandt Fellow Sports Journalist in ResidenceDepartment
JournalismJoanne C. Gerstner is an award-winning multi-platform sports journalist, concussion researcher/expert, speaker and book author.
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Featured Research
The Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame Committee Seeks Nominations
Inductees to the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame must have established their professional reputations through Michigan journalism. Honorees will be inducted at a banquet on Sunday, April 13, 2025, at the Michigan State University Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.
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