2008 Woodie Awards
Professor to publish book on politics and media
Tracey Brown, Staff Writer
Issue date: 12/5/06
Last Updated: 12/29/07
This month, a Whitworth professor will complete a book on journalism, politics and history which will be published by Northwestern University Press in the summer or fall of 2007.
Associate professor of communication studies, Jim McPherson, who was previously the adviser to The Whitworthian, was invited to submit a proposal on a topic of his choice related to journalism and history.
"It's a book about the relationship between the news media and the rise of the conservative movement," McPherson said. "I would argue that despite the fact that people say the news media are becoming more liberal, it is actually becoming more conservative."
The book proposal was accepted by the editorial board at Northwestern University Press, and McPherson was offered a contract to write the book he had proposed.
McPherson's book is entitled "Getting the News Right: The Press and the Conservative Resurgence."
His first book, "Journalism at the End of the American Century, 1965-Present," was released this summer.
"I have an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in journalism, history and political science from Washington State University, so this topic goes right along with all three of my interests," McPherson said.
McPherson said he will incorporate some of his findings into his classes at Whitworth this spring.
"One of the fun things about the writing process is that I get to be a student again," McPherson said. "I teach Mass Media History and Media Criticism; in each, I talk about political media, so some of the things I learned I will apply directly to those two classes."
McPherson said he will be teaching three upper-division classes in the spring, two of which he normally teaches during the fall semester. He will resume his position as adviser of The Whitworthian next fall.
"One of the drawbacks to sabbaticals, particularly for students, is that classes we teach sometimes have to be rearranged," McPherson said.
According to the Whitworth Faculty Handbook, the college values the continued scholarship of its faculty and accordingly, "the college provides the means for faculty to engage in research, study, creative activities, cross-cultural studies and contacts with scholars outside the Whitworth College community."
All regular, tenured faculty members at Whitworth can apply for a sabbatical every seventh year of their teaching careers.
"The idea is that it gives you time away from day-to-day thinking about teaching and all of those sorts of things to concentrate on something else," McPherson said.
McPherson said sabbaticals are not guaranteed to everyone and there is a committee that decides which faculty members are the most deserving.
No more than 9 percent of Whitworth's faculty can be on sabbatical during any given year.
Associate professor of communication studies, Jim McPherson, who was previously the adviser to The Whitworthian, was invited to submit a proposal on a topic of his choice related to journalism and history.
"It's a book about the relationship between the news media and the rise of the conservative movement," McPherson said. "I would argue that despite the fact that people say the news media are becoming more liberal, it is actually becoming more conservative."
The book proposal was accepted by the editorial board at Northwestern University Press, and McPherson was offered a contract to write the book he had proposed.
McPherson's book is entitled "Getting the News Right: The Press and the Conservative Resurgence."
His first book, "Journalism at the End of the American Century, 1965-Present," was released this summer.
"I have an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in journalism, history and political science from Washington State University, so this topic goes right along with all three of my interests," McPherson said.
McPherson said he will incorporate some of his findings into his classes at Whitworth this spring.
"One of the fun things about the writing process is that I get to be a student again," McPherson said. "I teach Mass Media History and Media Criticism; in each, I talk about political media, so some of the things I learned I will apply directly to those two classes."
McPherson said he will be teaching three upper-division classes in the spring, two of which he normally teaches during the fall semester. He will resume his position as adviser of The Whitworthian next fall.
"One of the drawbacks to sabbaticals, particularly for students, is that classes we teach sometimes have to be rearranged," McPherson said.
According to the Whitworth Faculty Handbook, the college values the continued scholarship of its faculty and accordingly, "the college provides the means for faculty to engage in research, study, creative activities, cross-cultural studies and contacts with scholars outside the Whitworth College community."
All regular, tenured faculty members at Whitworth can apply for a sabbatical every seventh year of their teaching careers.
"The idea is that it gives you time away from day-to-day thinking about teaching and all of those sorts of things to concentrate on something else," McPherson said.
McPherson said sabbaticals are not guaranteed to everyone and there is a committee that decides which faculty members are the most deserving.
No more than 9 percent of Whitworth's faculty can be on sabbatical during any given year.
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