2025 Roger Ebert’s Film Festival to kick off with ‘The Searchers,’ first-ever Western screened at Ebertfest; passes go on sale November 18

November 14, 2024 Chaz Ebert and the University of Illinois College of Media announce that the opening night film of the 2025 Roger Ebert’s Film Festival will be a new 70mm print of the Western classic The Searchers (1956), starring John Wayne and Natalie Wood. The four-day festival, named for famed film critic Roger Ebert, will be held […]

Excerpts from ‘Bridging Divides’ series: What Does it Mean to Be an Informed Critic?

November 13, 2024 As part of the College of Media’s three-part webinar series this fall, “Bridging Divides: Conversations on Media and Disagreement,” faculty from the Departments of Advertising, Journalism, and Media & Cinema Studies led Q&As to explore how productive discussions occur across lines of disagreement and difference.  Below, read excerpts from “What Does it Mean to […]

Excerpts from ‘Bridging Divides’ series: Reaching Across the Aisle: Advertising and Messaging in an Age of Polarization

November 13, 2024 As part of the College of Media’s three-part webinar series this fall, “Bridging Divides: Conversations on Media and Disagreement,” faculty from the Departments of Advertising, Journalism, and Media & Cinema Studies led Q&As to explore how productive discussions occur across lines of disagreement and difference. Below, read excerpts from “Reaching Across the Aisle: Advertising […]

Excerpts from ‘Bridging Divides’ series: Engaging with People, Perspectives, and Policies When You Don’t Agree: Lessons from Journalism

November 13, 2024 As part of the College of Media’s three-part webinar series this fall, “Bridging Divides: Conversations on Media and Disagreement,” faculty from the Departments of Advertising, Journalism, and Media & Cinema Studies led Q&As to explore how productive discussions occur across lines of disagreement and difference.  Below, read excerpts from “Engaging with People, Perspectives, and Policies […]

2024-25 Ebert Fellows announced

November 8, 2024 | Faith Lee, Communications Intern Each fall, the Roger Ebert Fellows program selects three College of Media undergraduate students to complete a yearlong fellowship that immerses students into the film industry and provides them with opportunities to sharpen their critical writing skills and engage with the film community. The Roger Ebert Fellows […]

Illinois chapter of National Association of Black Journalists promotes unity among Black Media students

November 7, 2024 | Kelly Youngblood At its first event of the 2024-25 school year, the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists hosted “Black on Black Commentary,” where students discussed popular topics involving the Black community in the media, such as election coverage of Vice President Kamala Harris and the failure of cosmetic brands […]

NBC News’ chief political analyst Chuck Todd to visit the University of Illinois for a conversation on presidential election results

November 4, 2024 Chuck Todd, NBC News’ chief political analyst and former moderator of the network’s flagship Sunday public affairs program Meet the Press, will be on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus for a conversation about the presidential election results on Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 5-6 p.m. Todd will discuss what we can learn about voters and […]

Have newspaper political endorsements outlived their purpose?

November 1, 2024 | Lois Yoksoulian, University of Illinois News Bureau Melita Garza, associate professor and Tom and June Netzel Sleeman Scholar in Business Journalism, is a journalism historian who studies news as an agent of democracy. University of Illinois News Bureau editor Lois Yoksoulian discussed the history and future of presidential endorsements with Garza in light of recent […]

Illinois Public Media programs and staff garner awards

October 10, 2024 Illinois Public Media’s Prairie Fire nominated for seven Emmys UPDATE 10/29/2024:  WILL-TV’s Prairie Fire won four Mid-America Emmy Awards, including Best Magazine Program, for its first season. The show also won in the following categories: * * * Prairie Fire, a WILL-TV program featuring cinematic documentaries, profiles, and performances from downstate Illinois, has been nominated for seven Mid-America regional Emmy awards, […]

Students create first all-Spanish news broadcast ‘UI7 En Vivo Contigo,’ present at NAHJ conference

October 2, 2024 | Kelly Youngblood As the son of first-generation immigrant parents from Mexico, Emilio Reyes sometimes found it difficult fitting in while growing up in rural Indiana. It wasn’t until he came to the University of Illinois to study journalism that he says he began to really embrace his Hispanic heritage.  “I [was able] to […]

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