I am a Professor in the Department of Communication at Loyola University Maryland. My research focuses on political entertainment and comedy, public opinion and political participation, science communication, and new media and youth political engagement. I teach courses on mass communication, political communication, popular culture, political entertainment, science communication, and travel reporting.
I am a tenured Professor in the Department of Communication at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore. I was Associate Department Chair from July 2020 - June 2022. I joined the department as an Assistant Professor in 2014, earned tenure in Spring 2018, and was promoted in 2023. From 2010 to 2014, I worked as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication and Communication Studies at Towson University.
Named as Loyola's 2023 Distinguished Scholar of the Year, my research focuses on four areas in the field of communication: (1) the effects of exposure and attention to political comedy and entertainment, (2) public opinion and citizen participation on controversial political issues, (3) new media and youth political engagement, and (4) public engagement with science.
I have published in a variety of communication and interdisciplinary social science journals including Human Communication Research, Information, Communication & Society, The International Journal of Press/Politics, The International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Mass Communication & Society, Political Communication, Public Opinion Quarterly, Science Communication, and Social Media + Society.
I often offer media commentary on my research, political comedy, public opinion, polling, elections, and the new media environment.
I served as an Editor of The International Journal of Public Opinion Research from 2018-2021 and am on the editorial board of Mass Communication & Society. In 2017-2018, I served as the Head of the Political Communication Interest Group (PCIG) of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) and led the charge to grow from an interest group to a full division.
At Loyola, I teach CM203: Introduction to Communication, CM368: Entertainment, Media, and Politics, CM342D: Media, Culture, and Society, and CM316: Travel Reporting (online). I have also taught in the university's Messina program, an initiative that offers special seminar pairings along key themes to help incoming first year students adjust to college life and work. My most recent course looked at quantitative communication, analyzing how statistics and data are discussed and framed in the news and across public discourse and social media. We spent a fair amount of time looking at the influence of social networks on media behavior and engagement and considered the influence of algorithms on our media preferences and choices. My Fall 2015 course focused on science communication and how we use the mass media to talk about science in publicly accessible ways.
I also teach courses in our M.A. in Emerging Media program that consider the social, political, cultural, and economic implications of the Internet and new media. From 2021-2023, I taught ME770:Social Network Analysis.
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010, earning my Ph.D. from the joint graduate program in Mass Communications. While completing my Ph.D., I served as a Project Assistant at the University of Wisconsin Survey Center.
Before graduate school, I worked in the world of political polling and corporate market research, providing analysis and strategic insight to political candidates running for national and state office and for major corporations looking to redefine their brand image.
I graduated from Brown University with an A.B. in Political Science in 2000. Before enrolling at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I completed graduate coursework at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California.
While my family and I are enjoying life in Columbia, MD, as a New Jersey native, I remain a loyal fan of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band.
Full Academic Appointments
Loyola University Maryland
Professor, Department of Communication. (2023-)
Associate Professor, Department of Communication. (2018 - 2022)
Associate Chair, Department of Communication. (2020 - 2022)
Assistant Professor, Department of Communication. (2014 - 2018)
Currently, I teach CM203: Introduction to Communication, CM368: Entertainment, Media and Politics, CM316: Travel Reporting (online), CM342D: Media, Culture, and Society, and ME770: Social Network Analysis. I have particularly enjoyed developing thematic courses for the Messina program.
My recent Messina course focused on quantitative communication and how we talk about data, algorithms, and networks in the mass media.
My 2015 Messina course adapted our Introduction to Communication curriculum to add an in-depth focus on science communication. In this course, we considered how scientists, public intellectuals, and citizens use the mass media to tell the story of science. We focused on the different ways science is discussed in documentary vs. feature films and how these mediums come to shape our understanding of controversial public policy issues like climate change, public health, and the management of natural resources. We followed emerging science issues and events across mainstream news outlets and examined the level of conversation about science occurring via common social media platforms like Twitter.
CM 368:Entertainment, Media, and Politics is a junior/senior elective in the communication department. In the course we explore how a range of entertainment media (comedy, melodrama, the sitcom, popular music, film, etc.) teach us about the intersection of politics and culture. And yes, we watch shows like The Daily Show for homework. This course is an updated version of CM/PS 368: Entertainment, Media, and Politics, co-taught with Celia Paris in Spring 2018.
In my sections of CM 203: Introduction to Communication, we trace the development of communication research and theory, media industries, news and entertainment media, and advertising and public relations. In my course in particular, students work to document media convergence, critique contemporary advertising and sponsored media content, explore representation in entertainment television programming, and understand how fake news and misinformation are influencing our news cycle and our politics. Like all CM 203 sections, we wrap-up the course with the MyStory assignment, using multimedia platforms to tell our own personal story, applying the core Jesuit principle of cura personalis along the way.
CM316: Travel Reporting (online) usually serves as a 6th class for study abroad students who spend the semester documenting their travels with their own blog. Even for those studying in Baltimore, CM316 allows students to engage in the art and practice of longform journalism, blogging about their home community or adopted city.
ME770:Social Network Analysis focuses on the use of social networks to build community. We work to understand sentiment, textual analysis, and the key measures of social networks like nodes, density, weak vs. strong ties, and network heterogeneity. We carefully consider social media data and how it drives network formation and growth. We engage in case studies on the use of social networks in political life, in ameliorating public health problems like COVID-19, and in expanding social movements like the Black Lives Matter movement.
In ME 730: Social, Political, Economic, and Cultural Issues and Emerging Media, we focus on the impacts of emerging media, particularly the Internet, on political and civic life. We look at how social media can spur political action by citizens and how campaigns use social media as a tool for greater mobilization. We look at the impacts of emerging media on the individual and on our collective culture.
Towson University
Assistant Professor & Graduate Faculty, Department of Mass Communication & Communication Studies. (2010-2014)
My favorite class at Towson was a first-year writing seminar that bridged my research and teaching interests entitled, "Popular Culture & Politics: Comedy, Entertainment, Celebrity, and Democracy." The writing intensive course examined how a whole range of cultural phenomena -- political comedy, celebrity politics, entertainment television, popular music, viral online videos, and satirical print media -- influence our political life and civic culture.
The syllabus for the course is available here.
The course received considerable press coverage and was featured in a July 2012 article in The Washington Post and was named favorite class at Towson by Baltimore Magazine.
In Fall 2013, I taught MCOM 431/550: Public Opinion and the Press. The syllabus for the course is available here.
I also taught multiple sections of MCOM 490: Mass Communication Research, the department's Capstone course for graduating seniors. MCOM 490 presents a survey of quantitative and qualitative research methods and basic statistical techniques and applications.
A syllabus for the course is available here.
My scholarship sits at the intersection of research on mass media effects and political communication. My specific areas of interest and expertise include public opinion, hybrid media, political entertainment, civic and political engagement, research methods, computational social science, election studies, celebrity politics, science communication, and political tolerance.
I am particularly interested in understanding how various forms of hybrid media like political entertainment and comedy are redefining our shared mass media experience. At the same time, I also closely study what factors influence public opinion toward and engagement with controversial or “wedge” political issues, particularly those with scientific and/or moral dimensions like the same-sex marriage debate or climate change. I was recently named as the 2023 Distinguished Scholar of the Year at Loyola.
Manuscripts in Progress
Becker, A.B.You can't do that on television (right now). Strike Force Five, late night comedy, and audience engagement. (Manuscript in progress).
Becker, A.B.Only One Thing Can Save Us, Only the Young: Popular music, Generation Z, and the 2022 Midterm Election. (Manuscript in progress).
Becker, A.B.Ted Lasso tackles mental health: Sports entertainment, celebrity advocacy, and variation in source evaluations. (Manuscript in progress).
Conference Presentations by Year
2024
Yeo, S.K., Becker, A.B., Patel, K., Parlett-Pelleriti, C., McDermott, J., Anderson, A.A., & Cacciatore, M.A. (2024, February). Learn how to communicate science through humor: Comedy, cartoons & social posts. Workshop presented at the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Denver, CO.
2023
Cacciatore, M.A., Yeo, S.K., Becker, A.B., Anderson, A.A., & Patel, K. (2023, May). Cultivating interest in science through humor: Mirth as a leveler of gaps in science engagement. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Toronto, Canada.
2022
Becker, A.B. (2022, September). John Oliver as the (un)likely pandemic fundraiser: Championing worthy causes and participation through satire. Paper presented at the annual Political Communication preconference of the American Political Science Association (APSA), Montreal, Canada.
Becker, A.B. (2022, May). Does gender matter? Comic hosts, audience reception, and the processing of political satire content Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Paris, France.
Anderson, A.A., Becker, A.B., Cacciatore, M.A., Patel, K., & Yeo, S. (2022, March). It doesn't matter who you are, make 'em laugh: Experienced humor predicts communicator effectiveness. Paper presented at the Science Talk '22 conference, Portland, OR.
2021
Becker, A.B. (2021, May). Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Or is it? The effects of exposure to SNL parody on perceptions of The View. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), virtual.
Becker, A.B. (2021, May)."We like the boyfriend!" Political comedy, COVID-19, and conversations with Governor Andrew Cuomo. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), virtual.
2020
Becker, A.B. & Jones, P.E. (2020, October). Experience with discrimination, perceptions of difference, and the importance of gender conformity on support for transgender rights. Paper accepted for the annual conference of the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR), Salamanca, Spain. (Participation cancelled due to COVID-19)
Cacciatore, M.A., Becker, A.B., Anderson, A.A., Yeo, S.K. (2020, May). Laughing with science: The influence of audience approval on engagement. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), virtual.
Yeo, S.K., Anderson, A.A., Becker, A.B., & Cacciatore, M.A. (2020, February). The effect of science comedy on perceptions of scientists and scientific messages. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Seattle, WA.
2019
Becker, A.B. & Waisanen, D.J. (2019, November). John Oliver and Stephen Colbert's crossover children's books as metanoic vetoes. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Baltimore, MD.
Becker, A.B. (2019, August). When comedy goes to extremes: The influence of ideology on source liking, credibility, and counterarguing. Paper presented at the 2019 Political Communication preconference of the American Political Science Association (APSA), Washington, DC.
Becker, A.B., & Anderson, A.A. (2019, February). Can comedy stimulate climate change advocacy and engagement? Paper presented at the University of Michigan Symposium on Media and Politics: Environmental Advocacy in a Polarized World, Ann Arbor, MI.
2018
Scacco, J.M., Copeland, L., & Becker, A.B. (2018, April). Of tirades and Tweets: Public opinion on President Trump’s use of Twitter. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA), Chicago, IL.
2017
Becker, A.B. (2017, August).Teaching controversy in the classroom: Best practices for engaging students about politically contentious science, environmental, health, and risk issues. Invited panelist at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Chicago, IL.
Becker, A.B., & Todd, M.E. (2017, May). Two steps forward, one step back? Amazon’s Transparent, ecological systems theory, and the changing dynamics of family. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), San Diego, CA.
2016
Bode, L., & Becker, A.B. (2016, August) Fly my pretties: John Oliver, net neutrality, and comedy as an agent of political activation. Paper presented at the Political Communication preconference of the American Political Science Association (APSA), Philadelphia, PA.
Becker, A.B. (2016, February). Using comedy to increase public interest and understanding of political and science issues. Invited panelist at the annual meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Washington, DC.
2015
Becker, A.B., Copeland, L. (2015, August). Connective social media: A catalyst for LGBT political consumerism among members of a networked public. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication, San Francisco, CA.
Becker, A.B., & Goldberg, A.B. (2015, May). Connecting the comedy dots: Interview content, elaborative processing, and political satire programming. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Becker, A.B., & Todd, M.E. (2015, May). Changing perspectives? Public opinion, perceptions of discrimination, and feelings toward the family. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Waisanen, D.J., & Becker, A.B. (2015, May). The problem with being Joe Biden: Political comedy and circulating personae. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Becker, A.B. & Copeland, L. (2015, April). Networked publics: How connective social media use facilitates political consumerism among LGBT Americans. Invited paper presented at the Boston University Center for Mobile Communication studies expert workshop: Social media and the prospects for expanded democratic participation in national policy-setting, Boston, MA.
2014
Hackl, A., Becker, A.B., & Todd, M.E. (2014, November). "I am Chelsea Manning." Comparison of gendered representation of Private Manning in US and international newspapers. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
2013
Waisanen, D.J.,* Becker, A.B.* (2013, November). From funny features to entertaining effects: Connecting approaches to communication research on political comedy. Paper accepted by the Political Communication Division for presentation at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, Washington, DC. * denotes equal contribution
Becker, A.B., Kaza, S., & Goldberg, A.B. (2013, August). Big data, big issues: Applying public opinion theory, machine learning, and large-scale text analysis to explore issue opinions and information flow across traditional and social media. Paper presented at the "Sentiment, Politics, and Citizenship," Political Communication preconference of the American Political Science Association, Chicago, IL.
Becker, A.B. (2013, August). Discussant, Are celebrities persuasive in politics? Theme panel accepted for presentation at the annual conference of the American Political Science Association, Chicago, IL.
Becker, A.B. (2013, August). Panelist, Exploring the use of emerging technology in the classroom during the 2012 election cycle and beyond. Teaching panel sponsored by the Communication Technology Division and Political Communication Interest Group for presentation at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Washington, DC.
Becker, A.B. (2013, June). Are the kids all right? Family status, challenges, public opinion, and gay civil rights. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, London, UK.
2012
Becker, A.B. (2012, November). Invited panelist, Empirical assessments of the impact of parody and satire. P6: Professors and Practitioners Pontificate on Political Parody and Persuasion, sponsored by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Becker, A.B., & Haller, B.A. (2012, August). When political comedy turns personal: Humor types, audience evaluations, and attitudes. Paper presented to the Political Communication Interest Group of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Chicago, IL.
2011
Becker, A.B. (2011, May). Pop politics? Celebrity issue advocacy campaigns and their influence on situational involvement, complacency, and apathy. Paper presented to the Political Communication Division of the International Communication Association, Boston, MA.
Xenos, M.A., Becker, A.B., Anderson, A.A., Brossard, D., & Scheufele, D.A. (2011, May). Stimulating upstream engagement: An experimental study of nanotechnology information-seeking. Paper presented to the Political Communication Division of the International Communication Association, Boston, MA.
Haller, B.A., & Becker, A.B. (2011, April). Stepping backwards with disability humor: The case of Governor David Paterson's representation on Saturday Night Live. Paper presented at the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities, Honolulu, HI.
2010
Becker, A.B., Anderson, A.A., Xenos, M.A., Brossard, D., Scheufele, D.A., & Kim, E. (2010, November). Cognitive complexity of scientific issues: How anticipated discussion impacts complexity of thought. Paper presented at the second international conference on Science in Society, Madrid, Spain.
2009
Becker, A.B. (2009, November). Comedy in all its many forms: The differential influence of satire, self-ridicule, and parody on political attitudes. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research, Chicago, IL.
Becker, A.B. (2009, August). New voters, new outlook? Same-sex marriage, social networks, and generational politics. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication, Boston, MA. (Awarded Top 3 Student Paper from Mass Communication & Society Division).
Dalrymple, K.E., Becker, A.B., Brossard, D., Scheufele, D.A., & Gunther, A.C. (2009, August). Getting Citizens Involved: How controversial science policy debates stimulate issue participation during a political campaign. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication, Boston, MA. (Awarded Top Paper from Science Communication Interest Group).
Becker, A.B. (2009, May). Riding the wave of the New Jew Revolution: Watching The Daily Show with Jews for Jon Stewart. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
Xenos, M.A., Moy, P., & Becker, A.B. (2009, May). Making Sense of The Daily Show: Understanding the Role of Partisan Heuristics in Political Comedy Effects. Paper presented at the 2009 conference of the International Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
Xenos, M.A., & Becker, A.B. (2009, January). The Daily Show and political learning: Experimental tests of the gateway hypothesis. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Southern Political Science Association, New Orleans, LA.
2008
Becker, A.B., & Scheufele, D.A. (2008, November). Public perceptions of the use of steroid in sport: Contextualizing communication efforts. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research, Chicago, IL.
Becker, A.B., & Scheufele, D.A. (2008, August). Television, perceptual filters, and personal politics: Examining public opinion toward gay marriage. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Chicago, IL.
Xenos, M.A., & Becker, A.B. (2008, May). Moments of Zen: The Daily Show, information seeking, and partisan heuristics. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, Montreal, Canada (Awarded Top Paper from the Political Communication Division).
Ho, S.S., Becker, A.B., Binder, A.R., Scheufele, D.A., Brossard, D., & Gunther, A.C. (2008, May). Do perceptions of media bias undermine citizenship? An examination across elections and issues. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Communication Association, Montreal, Canada.
2007
Becker, A.B., & Xenos, M.A. (2007, November). Understanding the power of Jon Stewart: The third person effect and the comedy of The Daily Show. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research, Chicago, IL.
Becker, A.B., Dalrymple, K.E., Brossard, D., & Scheufele, D.A. (2007, May). Stem cell publics: Issue involvement in the 2006 elections. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Anaheim, CA.
Becker, A.B. (2007, May). Support for gay marriage and the role of religious/value predispositions: Explaining positions on a moral issue through the examination of personal beliefs. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Anaheim, CA.
2006
Becker, A.B. (2006, November). Making decisions based on bioethical principles: The rhetoric of end-of-life decision making. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, San Antonio, TX.
Becker, A.B. (2006, November). Transforming conflict in the Middle East: Establishing a productive dialogue. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Communication Association, San Antonio, TX.
For a PDF copy of my curriculum vitae, click here
Selected Media Commentary
Commentary on the 2024 Republican primary and appearances on political comedy program for CSPAN (February 9, 2024). Watch the television episode here.
Commentary on Osama Bin Laden's "Letter to America," going viral on TikTok for Politico. (November 16, 2023). Read the article here.
Commentary on the announcement that the Baltimore Orioles will stay in the city for 30 more years for The Baltimore Sun. (September 30, 2023). Read the article here.
Commentary on the partisan nature and impact of late-night political comedy and satire for Vox. (December 20, 2022). Read the article here.
Commentary on President Joe Biden's late-night comedy interview with Jimmy Kimmel for The Hill. (June 8, 2022). Read the article here.
Commentary on political comedy and the shift from the Trump to the Biden administration for the Harvard Political Review (September 25, 2021). Read the article here.
Commentary on the return of celebrities to Washington, DC in the new Biden administration for The Hill (February 7, 2021). Read the article here.
Commentary on Trump's response to the COVID-19 crisis and new books being published about the administration for Al Jazeera English (September 15, 2020). Watch the video here.
Commentary on the effectiveness of the virtual Democratic National Convention for WBAL-TV (August 19, 2020). Watch the video here.
Commentary on viral police video of Baltimore arrest for Fox45 News (July 25, 2020). Watch the video here.
Commentary on President Trump's use of and conflict with Twitter for Bloomberg News. (May 28, 2020). Read the article here
Commentary on satire's coverage of technology issues for Slate (February 11, 2019). Read the article here
Commentary for WJLA/Sinclair Broadcasting Group on political comedy's influence on the 2020 election (January 15, 2019). Read the article here
Commentary for The Tennessean and The USA Today on celebrity politics and Taylor Swift's role in Election 2018 (November 7, 2018). Read the articles here and here
Commentary for the Observer on the John Oliver effect (March 23, 2018). Read the article here
Commentary for WJLA/Sinclair Broadcasting Group on political satire's increasing criticism of President Donald Trump (May 8, 2017). Read the article here
Commentary for Diario de Noticas (Portugal) on political satire and the Donald J. Trump presidency (February 18, 2017). Read the article here
Live reaction to President Donald J. Trump's inaugural address on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's The Current. (January 20, 2017). Listen to the broadcast here
Commentary for ABC7/WJLA on celebrity influence on American politics. (January 9, 2017). Read the commentary here
Commentary in The Atlantic on late night comedy's critical coverage of education issues. (December 27, 2016). Read the article here
Report for The Academic Minute about what we learn from political comedy during an election cycle. (October 26, 2016). Listen to the report here
Commentary for Voice of America on political comedy's impact on Election 2016. (October 25, 2016). Listen to the segment here
You Should Know ... profile on my research and community ties in the Baltimore Jewish Times. (October 20, 2016). Read the profile here
Commentary for the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) on political satire's influence on citizens and the 2016 election (October 10, 2016). Listen to the segment here
Interview on ABC News Radio (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) on the second U.S. Presidential Debate (October 10, 2016). Listen to the interview here
Interview on Wisconsin Public Radio's Central Time regarding the influence of political comedy on the 2016 election (September 26, 2016). Listen to the interview here
Commentary for WJLA/ABC7 on candidates and political comedy appearances (September 16, 2016). Read the commentary here
Blog post for The Washington Post's Monkey Cage on political comedy, youth engagement, and the 2016 election (September 14, 2016). Read the essay here
Commentary for The Ringer on Colbert's CBS Late Show and his interview guests (August 18, 2016). Read the article here
Essay for Vox on the influence of political comedy on the 2016 election (July 25, 2016). Read the feature essay here
Commentary for The Baltimore Sun on growing nostalgia for 1990's pop culture (May 12, 2016). Read the article here
Commentary on WJZ-TV/CBS Baltimore on upcoming Democratic Primary (April 22, 2016). View the clip here
Commentary on Maryland Presidential Primary on WJZ-TV/CBS Baltimore (April 21, 2016). View the clip here
Commentary on WBAL 1090AM Radio on the Super Tuesday results, Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and more. Listen to the clip here
Interview with Fox Baltimore 45 and WJZ-TV CBS Baltimore on DeRay Mckesson's candidacy for Mayor of Baltimore (February 4, 2016). Watch the interview with WJZ-TV here
Interview with WJZ-TV on Maryland public opinion poll results and Governor Hogan's favorability ratings (October 15, 2015). Watch the interview here
Interview and media commentary on the Democratic Primary debate (October 13, 2015). Watch the WJZ-TV CBS Baltimore interview and read my print comments for Sinclair Broadcast Group here
Commentary on Stephen Colbert's debut as Late Show host for ABC7/WJLA Washington D.C. (September 8, 2015). Read the article here
Commentary on Jon Stewart's lasting influence on American politics on KCBS Radio San Francisco. (August 6, 2015). Listen to the discussion here
Commentary on Jon Stewart's final episode of The Daily Show and the influence of political satire on WBAL 1090AM Maryland News Now. (August 6, 2015). Listen to the show here
Commentary on public opinion toward same-sex marriage and LGBT civil rights in The Wall Street Journal after the US Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. (June 27, 2015). Read the article here
Blog post on the relationship between watching political satire and an increased likelihood to participate in politics for the London School of Economics and Political Science's blog on American Politics and Policy. (April 3, 2015). Read the post here
Commentary on Jon Stewart's legacy and impact on politics on WBAL 1090AM Maryland News Now. (February 11, 2015). Listen to the clip here
Guest on Radio National/Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Future Tense to talk about political satire and its impact on politics (February 8, 2015). Listen to the show here
Guest on Wisconsin Public Radio's Joy Cardin Show to talk about media habits and polarized politics. (October 27, 2014). Listen to the hour-long segment here
Commentary on partisan media, political polarization, and new findings from the Pew Research Center on WBAL 1090AM Maryland News Now. (October 23, 2014). Listen to the clip here
Commentary on the implications of the rise of selective exposure to partisan media and the Pew Research Center's study on media polarization in the Christian Science Monitor. (October 21, 2014). Read the article online here
Blog post for Oxford University Press on new IJPOR article examining gay rights and 25 years of public opinion data on attitudes toward employment discrimination. (October 5, 2014). Read the post here
Essay on the state of political comedy research and future directions worthy of scholarly pursuit in the National Communication Association's (NCA) Communication Currents. (February 1, 2014). Read the essay here
Essay on the importance of teaching about and researching political comedy for the University System of Maryland (USM) Faculty Voice. (October 31, 2012). Read the article here
TU in 2 Fall 2012 YouTube Lecture Series: Should politicians make fun of themselves? (October 24, 2012). Watch the video here
Commentary for WBAL-TV on the debates and social media (October 17, 2012). Watch the video here
Commentary for The Washington Post on academic interest in studying The Colbert Report (July 9, 2012). Read the article here
Commentary for Towson Patch on President Obama's decision to support same-sex marriage and the implications for Maryland (May 9, 2012). Read the article here
Commentary for The Towerlight on recent research on the same-sex marriage debate and Maryland legislation (February 23, 2012). Read the article here
Commentary for The Baltimore Sun on the Komen Foundation/Planned Parenthood controversy (February 8, 2012). Read the article here
Commentary for The Maryland Gazette on Governor O'Malley's online initiative to gather public opinion on ways to promote business development (November 4, 2011). Read the article here
Blog post for The Baltimore Sun/b the Site's Ridiculous Report by Luke Broadwater on the best political comedy clips from August 2011 (August 29, 2011). Read the blog post here
Commentary for The Christian Science Monitor on President Obama's vacation to Martha's Vineyard (August 11, 2011). Read the article here
Blog post for The Baltimore Sun/b the Site's Ridiculous Report by Luke Broadwater on the best political comedy clips from July 2011 (August 1, 2011). Read the blog post here
Appearance on Radio Times (on WHYY-Philadelphia, an NPR affiliate) to talk about political comedy with guest host Maiken Scott and comedian Lizz Winstead (July 20, 2011). Listen to the show here
Guest blog post for The Baltimore Sun/b the Site's Ridiculous Report by Luke Broadwater on the best political comedy moments from June 2011 (June 30, 2011). Read the blog post here
Commentary for The Christian Science Monitor on Donald Trump's potential foray into politics in time for the 2012 Presidential Election (April 22, 2011). Read the article here
Appearance on ABC2 News Baltimore/WMAR-TV to discuss recent research on generational differences in public opinion toward gay marriage and legislation currently being considered in Maryland (February 17, 2011). Watch the video here
ABC2 did a follow-up article on their web site. To read more about my recent research on attitudes toward same-sex marriage you can access the online article here
A follow-up radio appearance on WBAL 1090AM's Afternoon News Journal with Sheri Elliker to discuss my experience at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear on the National Mall in DC (November 1, 2010). Listen here
My thoughts on attending the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear published in Towson University's student newspaper, The Towerlight (November 1, 2010). Read the article here
Radio appearance on WBAL 1090AM's Afternoon News Journal with Sheri Elliker to discuss the significance of the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear (October 29, 2010). Listen here
Commentary on the upcoming Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in B Daily, the free daily paper published by The Baltimore Sun (October 28, 2010). Read the article here
More commentary on the upcoming rally in American Observer, American University's graduate journalism magazine (October 28, 2010). Read my comments here
Video of ABC2 News coverage of Towson University's celebration of banned books (September 28, 2010). Watch the video here
Articles & Press Releases
TU Seminar, Popular Culture and Politics: Comedy, Entertainment, Celebrity, and Democracy picked as Favorite Class at Towson University by Baltimore Magazine (September 18, 2012). Read the College 101 report here
Towson Towerlight article about my participation in the White House Twitter Town Hall (July 27, 2011). Read the article here
UW-Madison news release about research on the politics of the stem cell issue (February 3, 2010). Read the release here
LSC post highlighting the findings from recent study on participation on the stem cell issue (Spring 2010). Read the post here
UW-Madison CALS news release about research on what factors influence public support for gay marriage (April 16, 2009). Read the release here
Press about my Research
Coverage of my research on science humor and climate change in National Geographic (June, 2020). Read the issue here
Coverage of AAAS panel on humor and science communication in Science. (February 12, 2016). Read the article here
Discussion of my recent research on the impact of different comedy forms on political attitudes on Age of Engagement, the new blog by American University professor Matt Nisbet (October 28, 2010). Read more here
Discussion of recent work on participation on stem cell issue during 2006 midterm election in Wisconsin on Age of Engagement, Matt Nisbet's Big Think blog (September 7, 2010). Read the blog here
LSC post about accepting the tenure-track position at Towson University highlights recent research activity (February 2010). Read the post here
UW-Madison news release about 2009 AEJMC conference paper awards (August 6, 2009). Read the news release here
Consulting
I work with clients looking to design and execute quantitative and/or qualitative research projects. I help them develop survey questionnaires, define samples, and draft focus group moderator guides or structured in-depth interview protocols. I also know more than a thing or two about how to read and analyze data! Given my years of work experience in the political polling and market research sectors, I most often contract with those in the non-profit, marketing/public relations, and public policy sectors. If you need a consultant for your next research project, or an expert witness on communication and politics, please contact me for an initial consultation and discussion.
Speaking Engagements
I regularly share my research work with professional and public audiences outside the field of communication. Since I'm not the only one who watches The Daily Show for homework and appreciates a good political impersonation or joke, I spend a lot of time sharing my work on the rising influence of satire, parody, and other forms of political humor on youth engagement and political culture more broadly. I also focus on the state of political campaigns and polling. If your organization needs a guest speaker/academic, please contact me for rates and availability.
Freelance Writing
Finally, I also write and blog for other publications on a freelance basis. Please contact me with your story ideas.
Department of Communication
Loyola University Maryland
4501 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21210