• 2009 ICA Officer Nominations Deadline is February 28
• Barry Litman, 1949 - 2008
• President's Message: A New Year
• Travel Grant Applications Due on March 1
• Org Comm Division Announces 2009 Redding Dissertation Award
• The Problem of Religion in Media Scholarship: An ICA Preconference
• India and Communication Studies
• Avant-Garde, Green Design Shape Chicago's Millennium Park
• "Keywords in Communication" Conference Registration Underway
• Student Column: 10 Tips for Effective Networking
• News of Interest to the Profession
• Division & Interest Group News
• Call for Papers
• Available Positions & Other Advertising

February 28, 2009 is the deadline for receipt of all nominations for the offices in ICA's fall 2009 elections. Members may nominate candidates for president-elect select, a student board member, and one board member-at-large - representing the region of The Americas-outside of the United States, as dictated by the protocol ICA adopted in 2000 in order to promote worldwide representation on the Board.

The (non-U.S.) Americas region, as defined by the UNESCO Statistical Yearbook, includes Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Board members, both student and at-large, serve 2-year terms on the board. The president serves for one year, but will be a member of the ICA Executive Committee for 5 1/2 years: six months as president-elect select; one year as president-elect and conference program chair; one year as ICA president; two years as past president; and one year as chair of the ICA Finance Committee.

Any ICA member may nominate any other ICA member for office. Nominations must include a letter of nomination and statement about the candidate's credentials and record of service to ICA. Nominees will be asked to provide a vita and list of references.

John Nguyet Erni, Lignan U - Hong Kong, is the current chair of the ICA Nominating Committee. Other committee members include Jennifer L. Bartlett, Queensland U of Technology; Jose Marquez de Melo, U of Sao Paolo; Claes H. De Vreese, U of Amsterdam; and Linda C. Steiner, U of Maryland. Questions on the nominating process may be directed to John Nguyet Erni at johnerni@ln.edu.hk.

Send nominations - which must be received, not postmarked, by February 28, 2009 - to:

Dr. John Nguyet Erni
Lingnan U - Hong Kong
Department of Cultural Studies
8 Castle Peak Road, Tuen Mun, N.T.
Hong Kong, SAR
Ph. 852-2616-7494
Fax 852-2572-5170

Online balloting in the fall 2009 ICA elections will begin on September 15 and continue until October 1, 2009.

Born March 14, 1949, Dr. Barry Litman passed away December 26, 2008 at the age of 59 following a brave battle with cancer.

Dr. Litman was a professor in the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media in the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University for more than 30 years, specializing in the economics of broadcasting, mass media, and the entertainment industries. He was a graduate of Wayne State University, where he was a member of the varsity tennis team. He earned his doctorate of philosophy degree in 1976 from Michigan State University under the direction of former MSU President and Economics Professor Walter Adams.

In addition to serving as professor, Dr. Litman was Chair of the department for 6 years; was a board member and honorary member of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters; and authored several books, including "The Vertical Structure of the Television Broadcast Industry: The Coalescence of Power," and more recently "The Motion Picture Mega Industry." He also authored and coauthored more than 50 articles in academic journals and papers in broadcasting economics.

Dr. Litman was one of the earliest of economists to specialize in media and telecommunications industries. He made a major theoretical contribution to the field in his advancement of the Rosse "umbrella model" of newspaper competition. He was active in the Broadcast Education Association, serving on the economics and research committees. Many of his former Ph.D. students are in teaching, research, and executive positions in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world.

Dr. Litman is survived by his wife, Leslie (Zucker) Litman; daughter Pearl and triplet sons Daniel, Brandon, and Jonathan; brother Joel and wife Barbara Litman; mother-in-law Josephine Zucker, sister-in-law Kimberly Zucker, brother-in-law Craig and wife Michele Zucker, nephews Ryan and Bradley Zucker; and also survived by several aunts, uncles, cousins, and a world of devoted students. He is preceded in death by his parents Roseyln and Herman Litman.

A funeral service was on Monday, December 29 at the Ira Kaufman Chapel, 18325 W. 9 Mile Road, Southfield, Michigan with the interment to follow at Machpelah Cemetery in Ferndale, Michigan. Former colleagues, Dr. Bradley Greenberg, Dr. Thomas Baldwin, and Dr. Thomas Muth served as pall bearers. Dr. Greenberg delivered the eulogy.

Those desiring may make contributions in Dr. Litman's memory to the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media at Michigan State University, 300 Spartan Way, East Lansing, MI 48824, or to a charity of choice.

In this first Presidential column of 2009, I wish our ICA members a productive and intellectually stimulating new year! This year has begun with quite a lot of excitement, activity, and challenges for our ICA office, board members, and awards committees!

With our ICA offices located off Dupont Circle in the heart of Washington, DC, you may have received a message from us noting that the office closed on January 20th for Barack Obama's inauguration as President of the United States. Our Publications Manager, Mike West, attended as one of the 1.8 million people who lined up along the parade route and stood in National Mall as the first Black president of the United States was sworn in. Mike reported that it was "amazing" and would enjoy chatting online or by phone to members who would like to hear more! We can only hope that anticipated changes take place soon!

Conference planning is moving ahead very nicely. We thank all the Division and Interest Group planners for their hard work in managing the review process and organizing sessions for our May 2009 conference in Chicago. As those of you who submitted papers or coordinated preconferences and meetings know, Executive Director Michael Haley spent long hours sending out notifications for every decision regarding the status of papers, panels, and other events. If your submission was programmed for the 2009 conference, you should have received a second e-mail message that listed panel or meeting titles and participants. The process was centralized last year to insure that everyone received notices simultaneously. Of course, there is still much more to be done and feedback on submissions won't be available in mid-February but we are pleased by the quick turnaround and notification processes.

Now that the submissions have been processed, the ICA Executive Council (EC) and Board members are engaged in an online Board meeting. Topics under discussion include possible conference sites, as we try to plan out several years in advance to secure reasonable accommodation rates and meeting facilities. Reports by our Executive Director, our 2010 Conference planner and President-Elect-Select (Francois Cooren), task forces and committees, regional conference planners, etc. are included. Future columns will report on some of the discussion and other issues that will be discussed at the May Board and Division/Interest Group meetings.

We are also in the midst of ICA Awards nominations. Nurit Guttman of Tel Aviv University is overseeing the entire Awards Committee process and is working closely with specific Awards committee chairpersons and members. You'll note that an effort was made, as has been done in previous years, to develop committee memberships that reflect the diversity within ICA.

I would like to thank the following individuals for so generously and enthusiastically responding to my call for service in this important capacity. As I do so, I'd also like to encourage all members to support this process by nominating people. Excluding the Book Award for which books need to be mailed to our DC offices, all other award materials are submitted very easily online at: http://www.icahdq.org.

• Our Outstanding Book in Communication Award committee is: Clifford Nass (committee chair and 2007 winner), Ted Zorn, Philip Howard (2008 winner), Linda Aldoory, and Irina Rozina.
• Our Outstanding Article in Communication Award committee is: Cynthia Stohl (committee chair and 2008 winner), Carolyn Byerly, Hiroshi Ota, Daniela Dimitrova, and Jan Van den Bulck.
• Our Applied/Public Policy Research Award committee is: Dale Kunkel (committee chair and 2008 winner), Cees Hamelink, Anne Marie Bulow, Phyllis Bernt, and Pearl Wang.
• Our Young Scholar Award committee is: Claes de Vreese (committee chair and 2007 winner), Laura Guerrero, Hee Sun Park (2008 winner), Travis Dixon, and Karen Ross.
• Our Steve Chaffee Career Productivity Award committee is: Cindy Gallois (committee chair), Marshall Scott Poole (2008 winner), Joseph Chan, Sonja Foss, and Peng Hwa Ang.
• Our Fisher Mentorship Award committee is: Sandi Smith (committee chair and 2008 winner), K. Vishwanath, Liz Bird, Gianpietro Mazzoleni, and Shuhua Zhou.

We also have several relatively new awards for which some winners were announced for the first time in 2008. These awards are:

• The James W. Carey Urban Communication Award. The committee is composed of ICA members (Lana Rakow, committee chair, with Paschal Preston and Yong Jun Shin, the 2008 winner) and Urban Communication Foundation members (Leo Jeffres, Casey M.K. Lum, and Harvey Jassem)
• Communication Research as Collaborative Practice Award. The committee is: Donal Carbaugh (committee chair), Ingrid Volkmer, Bella Mody, Joe Karaganis, and Yoo Jae Song.
• Communication Research as an Open Field Award. The committee is: Sandra Braman (committee chair), Barry Wellman (2008 winner), Wenshan Jia, Rivka Ribak, and Catrin Johansson.
• Communication Research as an Agent of Change Award. The committee is: Margaret Peters (committee chair), Arvind Singhal (2008 winner), Ed Maibach, Myria Georgiou, and Ling Chen.

As you can see, we sponsor a wide array of awards covering research, mentoring, and engagement at the all-association level. I urge you to take a look at these awards since they represent incredible work on the part of our members and others who pursue a communication research agenda although they may not have affiliated formally with our field.

There are other activities in which the ICA EC and association members are involved over the next 3 or 4 months. One of these events is a day-long discussion about the future of publishing and its implications for the communication field and ICA, in particular. This meeting is hosted by Wiley/Blackwell and is designed to assist us in strategic planning for the next several years. We also will be involved, through the Council of Communication Associations meetings, in discussions about reputational surveys, quality indicators for our own and other communication journals, and other items. And some EC members are scheduled to travel to regional conferences and other events to further publicize communication scholarship in particular locales and foster productive connections with emerging clusters of communication researchers and with regional associations. December 2008 conferences in Shanghai and Hong Kong focused on intercultural communication in Shanghai and more broadly in Asia as well as research on discourse and business communication. We welcome the new ICA members from these and other conferences!

With our growing global presence, our newsletter content editor, Mohan Dutta, promises four columns starting next month on the ways that communication is constituted differently in diverse regions of the world. Mohan would enjoy hearing from other members who would like to contribute to this initiative with a column or report!

On the subject of hearing from members, we are in the process of installing a "suggestion box" feature on the ICA website. We would like to hear your thoughts on things you'd like to see changed in the association, or things we're doing well and should continue to do on behalf of our members. We look forward to hearing from you.

Finally, it's always a pleasure to work with our ICA staff in D.C. They, along with EC and Board members, are there for all members and would welcome the opportunity to talk about ICA news, to respond to questions, and to gather suggestions about our website or other processes. There are only five office members--Michael Haley and Mike West, as mentioned above--and Sam Luna (Member Services Director), Deandra Harris (Member Services Associate), and Tina Zeigler-Jones (Executive Assistant, Accounts Payable and Receivable). It is quite amazing to me that so few people handle so well an association with over 4,400 members located in 85 different countries. They would welcome your feedback and, if you are in the DC area, your visit to our offices. I wish you the best in 2009 and look forward to seeing colleagues and new members at our May conference in Chicago!

Participants who reside in developing/transitional countries, and who have been accepted to present papers, can apply for travel grants to the ICA Conference in Chicago between January 15 and March 1, 2009. The travel-grant application is available online at http://www.icahdq.org/cgi-shl/TWServer.exe?Run:MEMONLY:/membersonly/confgrantappl/fundrequest.asp.

Developing/transitional countries are identified annually by the United Nations. Potential applicants should check the country tier chart at http://www.icahdq.org/membership/Countrytierchart.asp to determine whether they are eligible to receive a travel grant. Countries that appear in Tiers B and C qualify as developing/transitional countries. (Note that ICA determines eligibility based on country of residence, not of origin.) You must be an ICA member to apply.

Potential applicants should also contact their Division or Interest Group Chair for possible funding from the divisional Annenberg travel grant. Of the $20,000 allocated by ICA for student travel grants, $6000 will be held aside for Divisions/Interest Groups. Up to $300 for each Division/Interest Group will be available from the $6000 to match travel allocations to their student members. Conference program chair Barbie Zelizer and executive director Michael Haley will review the applications provided through the online application form. From the remaining $14,000, they will use their discretion (considering the general distance of travel to the conference, etc.) in providing up to $500 for qualifying applicants (up to $9,000 for students, and up to $5,000 for faculty from developing/transitional countries). The conference planner and executive director will allocate these funds and notify applicants by April 1.

Recipients must pick up their checks at the conference by showing identification at the registration desk. Any unused funds will be added to the amount available for 2009.

While the amount of the grants depends on actual travel costs, the overall availability of funds is limited. A $2 surcharge on each conference registration and other available funds finance these grants.

Additionally, each division and special interest group may award travel grants to students selected for top paper or other honors. Applicants will receive notification of the results by April 1, 2009.

ICA travel grants will be available at the conference registration desk on Sunday, May 24, 2009. Divisional paper awards and Annenberg travel grant awards will be delivered in the awarding Division or Interest Group's business meeting.

Division 4 of the International Communication Association is pleased to announce competition for the 2009 W. Charles Redding Dissertation Award in Organizational Communication. This annual competition includes a cash award to the winner and a certificate for the winner and his/her advisor. The award will be presented at the annual ICA convention in Chicago (May, 2009).

Any dissertation project related to organizational communication is eligible for submission. The winning dissertation will be theoretically driven, methodologically rigorous, and make a significant contribution to our field. In the spirit of Redding, the dissertation should present ideas that advance our understanding of organizing and communicating, and that make a difference in the lives of organizational members.

Rules of the competition are as follows:

1. The advisor of the dissertation should submit the dissertation to the Division 4 Secretary:
   Documents to be submitted must include (a) one copy of the complete dissertation and (b) one copy of the student summary document, which is a 25-30 page paper (text) plus references, tables, graphs, etc. Summary documents with more than 30 pages of text (12-pt. font, 1-inch margins) will not be considered. The shorter document, written by the student, should summarize the dissertation by discussing the (a) research issue/problem, (b) relevant literature, (c) key hypotheses or research questions, (d) research methods, (e) primary results, and (f) conclusions drawn from the investigation. There is no need for a letter of nomination from the advisor.
2. Because all dissertations will receive blind review by a panel of judges, the name of the author, advisor, and university should appear only in the email and title page of the full dissertation.
3. Dissertations must have been successfully defended in the 2008 calendar year.
4. Candidates for the award must be members of ICA Division 4. Membership may be in process at the time of submission.
5. If an insufficient number of dissertations are received, the award panel reserves the right to carry over dissertations into the next annual competition. If large numbers of submissions are made or competition is strong, Honorable Mention Awards may also be made.

Deadline for submission: Tuesday, February 10, 2009. All materials must be received by midnight Eastern Standard Time on that date.

E-mail entries to Stacey Connaughton at sconnaug@purdue.edu with the following in the subject heading: REDDING SUBMISSION. Please submit all materials electronically in either Word or .pdf format. E-mail Stacey if you have additional questions.

Thanks for your submissions in this important competition!

Recent events in domestic and international politics have raised the question of why religion has not been more on the agenda of communication and media scholarship. There have been voices in the field, including James Carey, Elihu Katz, and ICA president Peter Monge in his 1998 Presidential Address, who have pointed to the need for more attention to religion

And yet, scholarly attention has been sporadic. The situation has become more pressing following the September 11 attacks and the increasing presence of religion in U.S. politics. These are but two of a growing range of ways that religion is more and more important in social, cultural, and political spheres. Under the title "Religion, Politics, and Media: How Do We 'Get Religion' In Leftist Scholarship and Journalism?" a preconference at the Chicago ICA will address this problem.

The day-long session is intended to bring together scholars of religion and of the media with journalists and others concerned with the interaction of religion and politics in the public sphere. Among those making formal presentations are Martin Marty, U of Chicago; Randall Balmer, Barnard College; Diane Winston, U of Southern California; Horace Newcomb, director of the Peabody Awards; Robert Entman, George Washington U; and journalist and historian Rick Perlstein.

The format of the preconference will begin with two round-tables featuring these presenters allowing ample time for interaction and dialogue between them and attendees. Following those, the event will feature a panel of competitively selected research presentations by younger and emerging scholars. The day will end with an open forum chaired by co-organizers Stewart Hoover and Andrea Press intended to lay out potential research agendas.

India plays an increasingly important role in the processes of globalization. The extraordinary role of India in the production of culture is matched by its role in refashioning the communications technology industry. Mumbai becomes a new media capital; Bangalore redefines information chains. Not accidentally, the field of communication studies in India is changing as well. Yet there is no fully functioning Indian Communications Association and little in the way of considered and formal review of contributions to the field.

In an effort to create a new coherence and a new salience for this subject, a small group of ICA members is organizing a preconference that will help map the area of communication and culture studies in India and gather some of the leading and emerging scholars in the field.

The preconference, to be held May 19 – 20, is designed to promote greater awareness of the impact of India on global pathways, and to encourage research opportunities and foster partnerships between scholars and practitioners.

The preconference will be organized around three panels, which will address the development of communication studies in India; issues of technology, governance and development; and a discussion of scholarship about India. The preconference will also feature paper presentations from emerging scholars on a diverse range of issues, including media and cultural representations, gender, issues of nationalism and culture, and structural questions of governance, including the impact on minorities.

The program is organized by the Center for Global Communication Studies, Annenberg School for Communications, University of Pennsylvania and the Center for Culture, Media and Governance, Jamia Milia Islamia University. The planning committee includes Biswajit Das, Radhika Parameswaran, Monroe E. Price and Aswin Punathambekar.

A series of articles exploring Chicago, Illinois-the site of the 2009 ICA Conference-began in the December Newsletter. The "Windy City" is one of the culturally richest cities in the world, and a major influence on international art, commerce, and education. December's article discussed the Magnificent Mile, the city's premier shopping district and the actual location of the ICA Conference. In this issue, we examine one of the city's most recent, but most signature, developments: Millennium Park.

Located in the northwestern corner of the much larger Grant Park-now famous as the location of Barack Obama's victory party-Millennium Park was for 150 years a utilitarian parcel: until 1997 it held tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad and an automobile parking lot. The city of Chicago regained control of the land from the railroad and in 1998 announced its plans for a grand civic center to be built over the tracks, featuring the work of renowned architect Frank Gehry. Opened in 2004 after 6 years and $475 million (4 years overtime and nearly triple its original budget), the park had evolved into a masterpiece of green engineering and a large and permanent exhibition of not only Gehry's designs, but those of several postmodern artists, architects, and landscapers. It is crammed, in fact, with cultural features and pieces of public art that have in just 5 years made Millennium Park the second largest tourist attraction in the city.

Like the conference hotel, Millennium Park is located on Michigan Avenue, six blocks south and across the Chicago River from the Magnificent Mile section. Its main entrance on Michigan is in the center of its two-block stretch, at McCormick Tribune Plaza. The first section of the park to open, the Plaza is a multipurpose, open-air venue that serves from November to March as a large ice skating rink. For the remainder of the year, however, the Plaza serves as the Park Grill Cafe, a 150-seat outdoor restaurant serving gourmet American fare and ethnic dishes with an American touch. The cafe is actually an extension of a 375-seat indoor restaurant, also called the Park Grill-the roof of which serves as another outdoor patio known as the AT&T Plaza. This plaza is primarily the host to the Cloud Gate, better known to Chicagoans as "The Bean": a 110-ton, polished stainless-steel arch shaped like a kidney bean that serves as the gateway to the main section of the park. The sculpture's mirrored surface is meant to emulate liquid mercury in its reflection and, owing to its shape, distortion of the Chicago skyline.

To the north of McCormick and AT&T Plazas (on your left as you enter the park) sits Wrigley Square, a tree-lined lawn that often hosts outdoor music performances and art and photography exhibitions. At its far north end, the square features the Millennium Monument, a colonnade of Doric Greek columns that faces a public fountain. The colonnade is a replica of a similar set of columns that sat on the same spot from 1917 to 1953 and then, as now, served as a popular downtown meeting place. South of the plazas is an even more spectacular landmark. The Crown Fountain, designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, is a black granite reflecting pool bound by a pair of 50-foot glass towers. The towers are covered by light-emitting diode (LED) displays that depict the faces of Chicago residents, who are photographed all over the city and congregate at the fountain to see if their faces will appear. The towers also feature nozzles that are situated at the mouth level of the faces they broadcast; jets of water shoot out of the nozzles so that it appears that the faces on display are spitting water into the fountain. Above both Wrigley Square and the Crown Fountain are the North and South Boeing Galleries, narrow spaces that host rotating installations of sculpture and visual art.

These sections facing Michigan Avenue are cut off from the rest of the park by Chase Promenade, a wide open-air walkway lined with trees. East of the Promenade is the centerpiece and most famous feature of Millennium Park: the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. It is a band shell designed by Frank Gehry and is most notable for the crisscrossing overhead trellis that covers both the seated area and the ovular Great Lawn that lies behind it. The trellis is not merely for distinction, however: it holds a system of speakers and acts as a sonic buffer, so that the outdoor venue emulates the acoustics of an indoor concert hall. The pavilion building itself is also designed to reflect sound outward into the audience, and also features Gehry's architectural trademark of an elaborate and abstract stainless steel headdress. It is large enough to accommodate a 150-person orchestra; there are also 4,000 seats, and the Great Lawn can hold up to 7,000 additional spectators. The New York Times describes its stunning design as "a celestial gateway to another universe."

The Pritzker is not, however, the only performance space in the park. Behind it, on the park's north side, is the indoor Harris Theater for music and dance. The 1,525-seat venue, most of which is underground, is Chicago's premier theater for small and medium-sized performance groups. It is the home of groups such as the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Chicago Opera Theater, and the Chicago Sinfonietta orchestra. The Harris Theater is a nonprofit venue that underwrites two-thirds of its home performers' daily usage costs and provides marketing and technical services for free. During the ICA Conference, the Harris will house the Chicago Opera Theater's production of Owen Wingrave by British composer Benjamin Britten. (tickets)

At the south end of Millennium Park, behind the Great Lawn of the Pritzker, lies the Lurie Garden, a 2.5-acre combination of perennials, bulbs, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Because Millennium Park is built above an underground parking garage and railroad tunnel, Lurie Garden is officially recognized as the largest rooftop garden in the world.Sixty percent of its plantlife is indigenous to Chicago (although the gardens do not include annuals, which do not survive Chicago winters). The highlights of late spring, when ICA will be in Chicago, include Star of Persia, Arkansas Blue Star, Wild White Indigo, Quamash, Shooting Star, Prairie Smoke, Virginia Bluebells, Herbaceous Peony, Phlomis, Meadow Sage, and Burnet.

There is one other natural product cultivated in Millennium Park: solar power. At the edges of the park near the Pritzker Pavilion and Great Lawn stand four solar energy-generating buildings, the Exelon Pavilions. Taken together, the four pavilions process enough power to provide electricity for 14 houses, and also provides all of the power used in the pavilions themselves. Incidentally, the northwest pavilion-behind the Pritzker Pavilion by Chase Promenade-also serves as the park's welcome center, and the site of its only public bathrooms.

Even the park's exit is remarkable. The BP Pedestrian Bridge is another Gehry creation, a winding elevated pathway that leads from the Great Lawn across Columbus Drive, to a plaza in the northeast corner of Grant Park. The bridge is 935 feet long (10 times the length of the street it's meant to cross over), covered with sheets of stainless steel, and uses waist-high parapet walls instead of traditional handrails. Its curved structure is completely freestanding, but gives the illusion of adhering to a winding natural landscape (the mountains of the Pacific Coast Highway, for example), a departure from even Gehry's famously asymmetrical work.

Millennium Park, then, is perfectly named: a creation of civic use and design for a new epoch. It's that avant-garde experience that lures so many curious visitors and proud Chicagoans to explore and frequent the park-which makes it a great place to observe people's interactions with each other and with their environment. ICA attendees will want to include a stop in Millennium Park on their itinerary, whatever else you may wish to do in Chicago.

If you haven't noticed, the registration site for the ICA 2009 annual conference, "Keywords in Communication," is now live and ready for your registration. Information on the conference, hotel and airline information, as well as the link to actually register are at http://www.icahdq.org/conferences/2009/. Visitors to the site will also see links to other information, like helpful hints for poster presenters; sponsorship, exhibitor, and advertising information; and descriptions of the various conference events. There are several changes in store for you this year.

Probably the biggest change is the option to receive either a printed program or a flash drive with the program in it. Make your selection while you are registering for the conference; the two options are at the top of the registration form. As an added incentive, the flash drive includes abstracts of all the papers presented at the conference. Creating this option is a first effort to make ICA "greener" in its ecological footprint. We invite you to consider selecting it and printing out only the pages you may need. The printed programs will be on recycled paper and recycling bins will be available towards the end of the conference for registrants who do not wish to keep their programs.

Our conference bags are also different this year and you will also have the option of receiving a bag or not at the conference. The bags are made of recycled material and are tote bags handy for use as grocery sacks after the conference. They are green (of course!) and each bag zips into itself--down to the size of a coin purse for easy storage! Again, bins will be available at the end of the conference for those who prefer not to keep the bags. You may also notice the absense of paper "stuffers" in the conference bags--that option has been eliminated also in an effort to conserve paper and eliminate waste.

If you are interested in finding out more about what the "greening" of ICA mean's there will be a roundtable session examining the implications for ICA and its efforts to make less of an impact on the environment. Quoting from the session description, the discussion will "...call out to ICA members across the globe, asking us to reflect on our institutional practices at the same time that we critically examine the various meanings of 'green' and 'sustainable.'"

A closing reception--also new for ICA--has been scheduled Sunday evening. Please make note that while the event is free, we do need you to register for the event while you are registering for the conference, so that we know how much food and beverage to order. Don't forget to include any guests you may want to invite.

On Monday, a full schedule of meeting rooms will run through 1:00 pm. There is a closing plenary scheduled for midmorning, at which well-known researcher Ulrich Beck will speak.

We hope that you will consider joining us May 21 in Chicago at the conference or on May 20th for one of the 12 preconference sessions. Don't forget to take a look at the various excursions that have been put together for you and your guests. Everything from walking and river tours to nights on the town have been scheduled, and all will be fun events!

Finally, note that the theme book from last year's conference in Montreal is available for purchase on your registration form. According to its description, "Communicating for Social Impact: Engaging Communication Theory, Research, and Pedagogy, edited by Lynn M. Harter, Mohan J. Dutta, and Courtney E. Cole, [is an] edited collection [that] provides a forum for communication scholars whose efforts are directed toward social change. Originating from theme sessions at the 2008 convention of the International Communication Association (ICA), this volume engages communication theory to enlarge communication practices." Consider ordering the book for yourself and perhaps some for your colleagues!

Contact us should you have any questions. We hope to see you in Chicago!

Sam Luna
Director of Member Services
sluna@icahdq.org

Establishing a successful career in the academy or business often depends upon the ability to develop and maintain beneficial networks. Dave Sanford (2009) is the Executive Vice President of Client Services for a staffing firm in Waltham, Massachusetts. He suggests that there are several steps involved in effective relationship building. Experts estimate that 60% or more of working people access their employment through social or professional networks. Competent networking skills improve the likelihood that people will be hired, promoted, and/or recommended. The following will briefly preview 10 methods for improving your networking skills.

1. Develop a Specific Target List: Compile a list of all the individuals/groups you currently know or would like to know. Such a list may include family and friends as well as classmates, professors, and colleagues (past/present). You may even want to add people who you have worked with in financial, legal, medical, or political situations. Include members of the community service organizations you have been active with (religious, professional, or civic). Finally, consider including people from online forums and collectives.
2. Ask to be Introduced: Think of individuals who may influence your career and connect with others who can facilitate an introduction. In the academy, such a list may include other academics, administrators, publishers, and research connections. In business, such a list may include local business owners, media representatives, hiring recruiters, and industry specialists.
3. Prepare Messages: Initially, prepare a "30-second elevator speech" describing yourself, your professional goals, and what sets you apart from others. Develop a message that you are able to articulate genuinely and enthusiastically. Share a condensed version with your network contacts, so they have an appealing introduction with which to describe you when advocating for you.
4. Attend Events: Get involved in important professional associations, social groups, or community collectives that will benefit your career. Make sure to introduce yourself to several individuals and discuss potential areas of similar interests with colleagues.
5. Utilize Online Networks: Facebook and LinkedIn are two websites that may enhance your networking capacity. Keep a current profile that describes your past and current professional positions, employers, responsibilities, special skills, degrees, and awards or recognitions. Join online groups that will promote your career and make sure that other online profiles are professional. Some MySpace or YouTube accounts display pictures and text that will detract from credibility and may leave potential employers questioning about character. When you have done the background work, send contact and friend requests to individuals who are on your list of desirable contacts.
6. Strive to Overcome Shyness: Although outgoing individuals are often more at ease with social networking, there are several ways to reduce the impact of shyness. One of these methods is to develop a list of relevant questions for new introductions. You may want to ask questions about the industry, necessary technology or program training, companies that are looking to hire, or positions that may be available. Consider asking about other individuals who would be willing to meet with you to talk about the department.
7. Monitor Behavior: The power of a first impression will profoundly impact how others perceive you and what opportunities you are given. In general, try to integrate the following behaviors during professional interactions: Be on time. Plan for 15- to 30-minute meetings. Wear professional attire. Pick up the tab. Don't flirt. Don't smoke in front of the person (or smell like smoke). Meet for coffee or breakfast (not drinks). Eliminate annoying distractions (e.g., cell phones). And, talk about appropriate topics (industry, project goals).
8. Set Goals: Develop concrete attainable networking goals and hold yourself to them. For instance, make a goal to e-mail five new contacts a week or to call three new contacts a week. Vow to attend two events per month and to spend 2 hours a week looking for potential network targets.
9. Reciprocity: Mutually beneficial networking is reciprocal. Although you may be asking for assistance now, the chances are high that you will be in a position to help others at a future time. There are several ways to express gratitude to others, including offering to introduce them to another person in your network, sending relevant articles or research you may find, or bringing one of your networks to a professional event as your guest.
10. Contact: E-mail a "thank you" message, or send a handwritten "thank you" card, to every person you have met through networking. Such things are a common courtesy and allow you to stay in touch with networks. When staying in contact, reinforce your desire to reciprocate in the future. Follow through on any promises you make and do so during a reasonable amount of time. Every 6 months, send an e-mail to your networks and let them know you've thought of them and hope they are well. Avoid mass e-mails and ensure that messages appear to have been sent individually.

Although effective networks may take time to build, good networks will ultimately help you realize your career goals through useful introductions, recommendations, and referrals. Remember, set realistic goals, follow appropriate protocol during interactions, and maintain networks through e-mail, cards, or telephone calls. Consider your own experience establishing networks and strive to assist emerging scholars, in the future, through guidance, referral, or hiring.

Reference:
Sanford, D. (2008). "Flex your networking skills: 10 tips to building, maintaining, and using your professional network in a job search." The Boston Globe. Retrieved from http://www.boston.com/jobs/bighelp2009/january/flex_your_network/?page=1.

Dr. Bradley S. Greenberg is Interim Dean of the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University.

Adam Joel Knee and Stephen Teo have been appointed Associate Professors at Nanyang Technological U. Fernando Paragas has been appointed Assistant Professor.

Rolf Wigand, U of Arkansas at Little Rock, Departments of Information Science and Management; Arnold Picot, U of Munich, Munich Institute of Management; and Ralf Reichwald, Technical University of Munich, Institute for Information, Organization and Management, published their new book, Information, Organization and Management, with Springer Verlag (536 pp., ISBN 978-3-540-71394-4.

Rolf Wigand, U of Arkansas at Little Rock, Departments of Information Science and Management, and Audrey Korsgaard, U of South Carolina, Department of Management, received a 2-year research grant from the National Science Foundation, Virtual Organizations as Sociotechnical Systems (VOSS) Program, "Communication, Trust and Leadership in Virtual Organizations and Teams," for $386,000. The project will demonstrate how virtual games in MMOG can be used experimentally in cooperation with Travian Games to provide insights into using virtual games for leadership and team development.

Rolf Wigand, U of Arkansas at Little Rock, Departments of Information Science and Management; M. Lynne Markus, Department of Information and Process Management, Bentley College; and Charles Steinfield, Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media, Michigan State U, received a 3-year NSF research grant within the IIS (Information Integration and Informatics) Division, entitled, “Collaborative Research: Interorganizational Information Systems Integration Through Industry-Wide IS Standardization: Technical Design Choices and Collective Action Dilemmas” for $842,844. The research focuses on the diffusion and adoption of information systems standards at the industry-level within three national industries: mortgage, automotive parts supply, and RFID use in the Footwear and Apparel industry.

Global Communication and Social Change

Preconference for Chicago.
At its business meeting in Montreal,, 2008,  the Division for Global Communication and Social Change approved a proposal for a one-day divisional preconference in Chicago, 2009. This takes its title from the name of the division, Global Communication and Social Change: Research Agendas and Directions. The membership considered that it was desirable and timely for divisional as well as interested members of other ICA divisions to explore the evolving and diverse meanings of the  key words of the division's own nomenclature, and what these may suggest for future research agendas and for the division's articulation of its identity(ies) and goals. The preconference is a one-day affair, starting at 8:00 a.m., starting with two plenary sessions (Rethinking the Global, and Rethinking Social Change), followed by a number of parallel sessions (Communication and Social Change; Development, Progress and Modernity; Globalization Analysis, Language and Soft Power; Comparative Method, Media and Social Change). The preconference closes with a plenary panel on Global Communication and Social Change: Questions of Identity(ies. Hot beverages will be served. Attendees will make their own lunch arrangements.

Oliver Boyd-Barrett, Chair
oboydb@bgsu.edu

Intercultural Communication

The Intercultural Communication Division (ICD) has an exciting slate of programs for the conference in Chicago. This year the division received sixty-six paper submissions and two panel proposals. Slightly over a quarter of the submissions came from outside of USA. Thirty-nine papers were programmed in paper or poster sessions along with one proposed panel. Besides, the ICD sponsors a cross-unit keyword session with 4 other divisions and co-sponsors a panel with the Ethnicity and Race Division.

Many thanks to the many members who expressed willingness to serve the division. Eighteen contributed as this year’s reviewers, and the ICD recognizes their hard work and dedication: Che Baysinger (Kaplan U), Douglas Boyd (U of Kentucky), Mary Bresnahan (Michigan State U), Aaron Cargile (California State U – Long Beach), Hui-Ching Chang (U of Illinois – Chicago), Pi-Chun Chang (Nan Hua U), Michael Hazen (Wake Forest U), Michael Hinner (TU Bergakademie Freiberg), Cecilia Ikeguchi (Tsukuba Gakuin U), Fei Jiang (Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), Yang-Soo Kim, II (Middle Tennessee State U), Rebecca Merkin (Baruch College – CUNY), Yoko Nadamitsu (Seikei U), Margaret Pitts (Old Dominion U), Diana Rios (U of Connecticut), Silvio Waisbord (George Washingon U), Jason Wrench (SUNY – New Paltz), Ming-Yi Wu (Western Illinois U).

For those of you who submitted papers and panel proposals, reviews and comments by Division readers will be available from February 15, 2009, by accessing the submission website available through the ICA homepage. All accepted paper/panel submitters will be able to upload revised versions of your work from April 1 to April 30, 2009. You may take advantage of this period so that attendees have access to your most up-to-date work at the conference.

James Neuliep, Chair
jim.neuliep@snc.edu

Mass Communication

Now that the paper competition for the May conference is complete, it is time to turn our attention to the biannual Kyoon Hur Dissertation Award Competition. Dissertations completed (i.e., dissertation defense has been held and passed) between November 1, 2006, and October 31, 2008 (inclusive), are eligible for consideration, and the nomination materials are due March 1, 2009. A detailed call has been distributed via the Mass Communication Division listserv and the information is also available on the Mass Communication Division’s information page on the ICA website. We’ve had excellent work submitted in the past, and we look forward to a very competitive process this year as well.

In terms of new business, we have a few exciting issues on the table. I am in the process of preparing bylaws for the Division as well as the parameters for a new Division award for excellence in research (that is, a distinguished article award for Mass Communication Division members.) I will be distributing these materials in the coming months for members’ consideration, and we will vote to adopt both at the Business Meeting in May, so please be sure to plan to attend that meeting! Until then, I hope you have a productive 2009!

Robin Nabi, Chair
nabi@comm.ucsb.edu

Philosophy of  Communication

We welcome Laurie Ouellette, U of Minnesota, as Vice Chair elect. Laurie will take up her role as Vice Chair in Chicago.

You might be pleased to hear that over the last years, the number of members of our division have almost doubled. We had 267 members in 2005 and have 487 today. However, international diversity will remain a key issue for the next years. Half of our members are from the US, the second largest group is from UK, followed by Canada and Australia. One of the reasons for this membership increase is the stronger visibility of Phil Comm within the ICA over the last years, such as through preconferences.

Of course we will continue the tradition of organizing preconferences on new emerging issues in Chicago. Nick Couldry (Vice Chair) and Amit Pinchevski (Hebrew University) have finalized the plans of an exciting one-day- preconference on ‘Media Ethics’ for Chicago. The event will be co-sponsored by the divisions Journalism Studies and Mass Communication. The precon is also supported by the Department of Culture and Communication, NYU. Please check the ICA website for further information.

The planning for Chicago has been finalized. Phil Comm made a substantial contribution to proposals for cross-divisional mini-plenaries. In addition, it received a good level of paper submissions (76), although this was down 10% from submissions for ICA 08, of which 34 were accepted for panels. The level of panel submissions was again high (25), and, because the quality of panel submissions - often from senior colleagues - was very high, panel choices were difficult. Thanks to Nick Couldry for organizing another interesting Phil Comm event !
 
Phil Comm is also involved in a regional ICA conference in Australia on ‘Journalism in the 21.Century: Between Globalization and National Identity’ (University of Melbourne), organized by Ingrid Volkmer. The conference call has attracted around one hundred international speakers from a great number of world regions which will allow a truly international debate of these crucial issues. Please see link below for further information:
(http://www.culture-communication.unimelb.edu.au/journalism21st/index.html)

Ingrid Volkmer, Chair
ivolkmer@unimelb.au.edu

CALLS FOR PAPERS/ABSTRACTS

February 15, 2009. Call for Book Chapter Proposals: Computer-Mediated Communication in Personal Relationships. We invite submissions of chapter proposals for a forthcoming edited volume from Hampton Press featuring literature reviews and meta-analyses about how people employ computer-mediated communication (CMC) effectively to initiate, maintain, and end personal relationships.  We are interested in proposals examining:

• relational, task, or channel influences on interpersonal CMC.
• CMC in relationships among and between family members, friends, collaborators, colleagues, and other types of partners in personal relationships.
• relational partners’ use of various forms of CMC including but not limited to e-mail, www, virtual networks, and/or gaming. 

We anticipate that each final chapter will be theory-based and include a current, relevant literature review and/or meta-analysis.  We invite reviews of research using conceptual or empirical (qualitative and/or quantitative) methods.  Manuscripts written from all theoretical orientations are welcome.

Chapter Proposal Guidelines:

1. Provide an extended abstract of 1-3 pages describing the research.  Within the abstract, (a) clearly identify the specific aspect of CMC your chapter will examine and (b) provide a summary or outline of your proposed chapter.
2. Provide a bibliography of sources that will be used in the chapter.
3. Your proposal should be accompanied by a published essay you authored, ideally on the subject matter discussed in the chapter proposal.  If you are selecting among multiple essays you have published, please send an essay for which you are the lead or sole author.
4. Please send an updated vita that lists of your publications.
5. Complete proposals (parts 1-4 specified above) are due on or before midnight December 31, 2008.  We will respond to submitted proposals by February 15, 2009. 
6. Submissions should be electronic and sent simultaneously to BOTH coeditors at KBWright@ou.edu and LynneWebb320@cs.com.

We welcome your questions and inquiries about the edited volume or chapter proposals.  Please address your concerns to one or both of the editors:

Kevin B. Wright, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Communication, University of Oklahoma, 610 Elm Avenue, Norman, OK 73019, KBWright@ou.edu, Telephone: 405-325-5946     

Lynne M. Webb, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Communication, University of Arkansas, 417 Kimpel Hall, Fayetteville, AR 72701, LynneWebb320@cs.com, Telephone: 479-575-5956.

Journal of Media and Communication Studies (JMCS). The JOURNAL OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION STUDIES (JMCS) is a multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal published that will be monthly by Academic Journals (http://www.academicjournals.org/JMCS). JMCS is dedicated to increasing the depth of the subject across disciplines with the ultimate aim of expanding knowledge of the subject. JMCS is seeking qualified researchers to join its editorial team as editors, subeditors or reviewers. Kindly send your resume to  JMCS@acadjourn.org

JMCS will cover all areas of the subject. The journal welcomes the submission of manuscripts that meet the general criteria of significance and scientific excellence, and will publish: Original articles in basic and applied research; Case studies; and Critical reviews, surveys, opinions, commentaries and essays. We invite you to submit your manuscript(s) to JMCS@acadjourn.org for publication in the Maiden Issue (April 2009). Our objective is to inform authors of the decision on their manuscript(s) within four weeks of submission. Following acceptance, a paper will normally be published in the next issue. Instruction for authors and other details are available on our website; http://www.academicjournals.org/JMCS/Instruction.htm. E-mail: jmcs@acadjourn.org.

The Communication Review solicits papers in the interdisciplinary field of
media studies. We particularly encourage historical work, feminist work, and visual work, and invite submissions from those employing critical theoretical and empirical approaches to a range of topics under the general rubric of communication and media studies research. The Communication Review also functions as a review of current work in the field.  Towards this end, the editors are always open to proposals for special issues that interrogate and examine current controversies in the field.  We also welcome non-traditionally constructed articles which critically examine and review current sub-fields of and controversies within communication and media studies; we offer an expedited review process for timely statements. Please direct your papers, suggestions for special issues and queries to Tatiana Omeltchenko, Managing Editor, at to3y@virginia.edu. For more information about the journal and submission guidelines, pleasesee the journal’s website at http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/10714421.html.

 
Chinese Journal of Communication (CJoC)
Launching in 2008, Chinese Journal of Communication (CJoC) is a new venture of scholarly publication aimed at elevating Chinese communication studies along theoretical, empirical, and methodological dimensions. The new refereed journal will be an important international platform for students and scholars in Chinese communication studies to exchange ideas and research results. Interdisciplinary in scope, it will examine subjects in all Chinese societies in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Singapore, and the global Chinese diaspora. The CJoC welcomes research articles using social scientific or humanistic approaches on such topics as mass communication, journalism studies, telecommunications, rhetoric, cultural studies, media effects, new communication technologies, organizational communication, interpersonal communication, advertising and PR, political communication, communications law and policy, and so on. Articles employing historical and comparative analysis focused on traditional Chinese culture as well as contemporary processes such as globalization, deregulation, and democratization are also welcome. Published by Routledge, CJoC is institutionally based at the Communication Research Centre, the School of Journalism and Communication, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. For more information and submission instructions, please visit http://www.informaworld.com/cjoc.

Journal of Children and Media is an interdisciplinary and multimethod peer-reviewed publication that provides a space for discusion by scholars and professionals from around the world and across theoretical and empirical traditions who are engaged in the study of media in the lives of children. Submissions: Submissions should be delivered as an email attachment to Dafna Lemish, Editor at: lemish@post.tau.ac.il. Manuscripts must conform to the American Psychological Association (APA) style with a maximum length of 8,000 words, including notes and references. The manuscript should be accompanied by an abstract of up to 150 words, biographical information for each author of up to 75 words each, and up to 10 keywords. For further information please visit: http://www.informaworld.com/jocam. 

International Journal of Strategic Communication is issuing a call for papers for its fourth and subsequent issues. The journal provides a forum for multidisciplinary and multi-paradigmatic research about the role of communication, broadly defined, in achieving the goals of a wide range of communicative entities for-profit organizations, non-profit organizations, social movements, political parties or politicians, governments, government agencies, personalities. For communication to be strategic is has to be purposeful and planned. The aim of the journal is to bring diverse approaches together with the purpose of developing an international, coherent and holistic approach to the field. Scholars in a broad range of communication specialities addressing strategic communication by organizations are invited submit articles. Articles are blind-reviewed by three members of the editorial board, which consists of 34 scholars from 15 countries representing a broad array of theoretical and methodological perspectives.Submissions are electronic via the journal's website at ijosc@lamar.colostate.edu. Manuscripts should be no longer than 30 word-processed pages and adhere to the APA Publications Manual. For more information, contact editors Derina Holtzhausen, University of South Florida, dholtzha@cas.usf.edu or Kirk Hallahan, Colorado State University, kirk.hallahan@colostate.edu.

Feminist Media Studies. Authors in North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean: submit to Lisa McLaughlin, Editor; e-mail: mclauglm@muohio.edu. Authors in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australasia: submit to Cynthia Carter, Editor; e-mail: cartercl@cardiff.ac.uk.

Education Review of Business Communication. Mss. info: http://www.senatehall.com/business_communication/index.html.

 
Journal of Communication Studies, National Council of Development Communication. Soliciting research papers, abstracts. E-mail: Shveta Sharma, communication@jcs@yahoo.com.

 
Hampton Book Series: Communication, Globalization, and Cultural Identity. Jan Servaes, Hampton Book Series Editor, c/o School of Journalism and Communication, University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072, Australia. Phone: +61 (7) 3365 6115 or 3088. Fax: +61 (7) 3365 1377. Email: j.servaes@uq.edu.au.

Manuscripts. Subject Matters: A Journal of Communications and the Self. E-mail: subjectmatters@londonmet.ac.uk.

Submissions. Journal of Middle East Women's Studies (JMEWS). Info: Marcia C. Inhorn, Director of the Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies, U of Michigan, and Mary N. Layoun, Chair of Comparative Literature, U of Wisconsin, Editors. Web: http://iupjournals.org/jmews/.

Communication Review. The Communication Review solicits papers in the interdisciplinary field of media studies. We are interested in papers discussing any aspect of media: media history, globalization of media, media institutions, media analysis, media criticism, media policy, media economics. We also invite essays about the nature of media studies as an emergent, interdisciplinary field. Please direct papers to Andrea L. Press and Bruce A. Williams, Editors, Media Studies Program, University of Virginia. Email: alp5n@virginia.edu, baw5n@b.mail.virginia.edu. For more information about the journal and submission guidelines, please see the journal's website at http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/10714421.asp.

Call for Manuscripts - The Journal of Native Aging & Health publishes articels that address Native aging, health, and related issues. All theoretical and methodological approaches are welcome. Original research and studies should apply existing theory and research to Native Americans, Alaskan, Hawaiian, Islanders and First Nations Peoples, or should illuminate how knowledge informs and reforms exiting theories and research on Native populations, aging, and health. No material identifying the author(s) should appear in the body of the paper. The paper must not have appeared in any other published form. Each submission should include a separate cover page with the name of the author(s); present academic title or other current position; academic department and university (if appropriate); and complete address, telephone number, and e-mail address (if available). The submission also must include a single-paragraph abstract of no more than 120 words on a separate page. Manuscripts, abstracts, references, figures, and tables must conform to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2001, Fifth Edition) guidelines. Contributors are encouraged to be familiar with the Manual's guidelines for avoiding bias in language used to express ideas int he manuscript. By submitting to JNAH, authors warrant that they will not submit their manuscript to any other publication without first withdrawing the manuscript from consideration by JNAH, that the work is original, and that appropriate credit has been given to other contributors in the project. Reports of the original research and papers may not exceed 25 pages (including references, tables, figures, and appendixes). Copies of submissions will not be returned to the author(s). Send four paper copies of complete papers to Pamela J. Kalbfleish, Editor, Journal of Native Aging & Health, School of Communication, University of North Dakota, 202A O'Kelly Hall, Grand Forks, ND 58202. Along with your paper copies, include a disk with your submission in Word document format or attach an electronic copy of your manuscript to an e-mail sent to the editorial office. Questions may be directed to the editorial office via e-mail at yearbook@und.nodak.edu, telephone 701-777-2673, or fax 701-777-3955. Ordering Information: To order a copy of the Journal, contact: Dr. Pamela J. Kalbfleisch, Editor, Journal of Native Aging & Health, School of Communication, University of North Dakota, Box 7169, 202A O'Kelly Hall, Grand Forks, ND 58202. $25.00 a copy / $40.00 year subscription.

 
Journal of Marketing and Communication Management. The Managing Editors, JMCM, Department of Marketing and Communication Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. Info: http://www.jmcm.co.za. E-mail: Professor C H van Heerden, nheerden@hakuna.up.ac.za, or Professor Anske Grobler, anske@postino.up.ac.za. 

 
Submissions. Participations: Journal of Audience and Reception. Info: http://www.participations.org/.

 
Essays. Bad Subjects: Iraq War Culture Review Essays. Email: Joe Lockard, Joe.Lockard@asu.edu. Info: http://bad.eserver.org.

Proposals. Alternatives Within the Mainstream II: Queer Theatre in Britain. Info: Dimple Godiwala-McGowan, Senior Lecturer, York St. John College (U of Leeds). E-mail: DimpleGodiwala@aol.com. 

 
Deadline extended. Papers. Journal of Middle East Media (JMEM), Center for International Media Education (CIME) at Georgia State U and the Arab-U.S. Association for Communication Educators (AUSACE). Mohammed el-Naway, Senior Editor, Department of Communication, One Park Place South, 10th Floor, Georgia State U, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA. E-mail: jouman@langate.gsu.edu.

 
New Journal - Communication for Development and Social Change. A new journal, Communication for Development and Social Change, is seeking papers that will present empirical research, theory, and practice-oriented approaches on subjects relevant to development communication and social change. Authors may submit inquiries and manuscripts electronically to Jan Servaes, Department of Journalism and Communication, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, at j.sarvaes@uq.edu.au.

 

CONFERENCES

ECA's 100th Anniversary

The countdown has begun for the 100th anniversary celebration of the nation's first professional communication association!  It is only fitting that the Eastern Communication Association (ECA) celebrate its 100th anniversary in a city of "firsts" - Philadelphia.  This commemorative event will take place April 22-26, 2009 at the Sheraton Society Hill.  Deadline for convention submissions is October 15th for all papers, panels and short courses.  Student poster submissions are due by December 15th.  Information for each interest group's call for papers can be found on the ECA website (www.ecasite.org). Simply select "Conventions," then click on "Call for Papers" and click on the name of the desired interest group.

Our 2009 convention theme, "Defining Moments: A Century of Communication," provides us with an exciting backdrop as we reflect on the contributions of the scholars and officers who have helped build our Association and our discipline.   Many surprises are in store as the 2009 convention team is busy preparing special programs to recognize our Centennial Scholars as well as commemorative events such as the Centennial Luncheon and the Saturday evening Presidents' Reception (to be held at the National Constitution Center).

ECA is also pleased to announce the publication of a 100th anniversary volume, "A Century of Transformation: Studies in Honor of the 100th Anniversary of the Eastern Communication Association."  Be sure to purchase your copy at the convention, and mark your convention calendar to attend the author signing session in recognition of the volume's contributors. 

“EU Kids Online: European research on cultural, contextual and risk issues regarding children and the internet.” An international one-day conference for researchers, policy makers, industry, educators, NGOs and government to address the policy issues and research findings about children and the internet. Thursday June 11th 2009, London School of Economics and Political Science, London. Researchers are invited to submit empirical papers about children’s experience of the internet on these topics:

• Social networks, online identities and e-participation
• Learning, creativity, and media literacy
• Mobility, computer games, and other emerging platforms
• Parental and peer mediation
• Risks, victims and perpetrators
• Regulation, empowerment and protection

Registration now open at http://www.eukidsonline.net. No conference fee; lunch and evening reception provided. To submit a paper, please send an abstract (300-500 words) to media.eukidsconference@lse.ac.uk by 15th February. We look forward to welcoming you to LSE to celebrate the end of our project and to debate the future agenda for research and for evidence-based policy.

Call for Applications: Summer program on media, democratization and development. Budapest, Hungary. June 29 – July 15, 2009. Organized by the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania and the Center for Media and Communication Studies, Central European University. This intensive summer school on media development is designed to stimulate and advance research, scholarship and academic discourse on media development, nurture the research interests and capabilities of early-stage researchers, and give participants the opportunity to gain practical hands-on experience in research techniques. The course involves lectures from academics and practitioners on a wide range of theoretical and methodological issues and a mentored field research trip. Using Hungarian minority language media as a case study, participants will develop a comparative research project and undertake field research in Romania, Serbia or Slovakia. The field research and policy analysis will be fully supervised by a mentor. The application deadline is March 1, 2009. For more information on the course and on the application requirements and process, please visit http://www.sun.ceu.hu/media.

Call for Applications: 2009 Annenberg-Oxford Summer Institute. Hertford College, University of Oxford. July 5 – 18, 2009. The annual Annenberg-Oxford Summer Institute brings together young scholars and practitioners from around the world to discuss important recent trends in technology and their influence on information policy. The objective of the program is to help prepare, motivate, encourage and support individuals who aspire to pursue a career in communications media, may it be in academia, business or in policy. Applications are welcomed from students and practitioners in the communications, media, law, policy, regulation, and technology fields. Institute sessions, led by academics and practitioners with a wide range of geographical and topical experiences, span issues ranging from a discussion of current trends in internet regulation to the emerging policy surrounding satellite delivery of information and the structuring of the mobile industry and its delivery of video.  The classroom experienced is enriched by the diversity of speakers and participants, and the discussion that occurs within and outside of the classroom.  Last year, there were 27 participants from 16 different countries. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; the application deadline is March 14, 2009. For more information and application instructions, please visit http://www.global.asc.upenn.edu/index.php?page=168.

Call for Papers for the 6th Conference of the Media Psychology Division (German Psychological Society) September 9 - 11, 2009 University Duisburg-Essen, Germany. Theme: "New Media and Interactive Systems." The 6th Conference of the Media Psychology Division (German Psychological Society) will take place from September 9 to September 11, 2009 at the University Duisburg-Essen (Campus Duisburg), Germany, chaired by Prof. Dr. Nicole Krämer. The division chairs as well as local chair and the Department for Computer Science and Applied Cognitive Science cordially invite you to Duisburg. This year´s focus theme is "New Media and Interactive Systems." By suggesting a focus theme we aim at concentrating results, advancing theoretical development in this area and fostering exchange with other psychological disciplines as well as with neighbouring disciplines. However, contributions on all areas of media psychology are welcome. The keynote address will be given by Prof. Dr. Joe Walther. For the first time, the conference is to be held in English. We thus invite not only German media psychologists but also European and other international researchers to contribute. All contributions will be peer-reviewed. You can submit position and review papers (extended abstract of 1000 words each), research papers (300 word abstract including results) and posters (300 word abstract).Please submit your abstracts in English until April 1 2009 via http://www.sozialpsychologie.uni-due.de/tmp. Each author can submit and present one contribution as first author but might serve as a co-author on various contributions. Authors will be informed on the results of the review process until June 15.

Contact:
University Duisburg-Essen
Prof. Dr. Nicole Krämer
Social Psychology – Media and Communication
D-47057 Duisburg
eMail: nicole.kraemer@uni-due.de
Telefon: +49-(0)203-379-2482 / Fax: +49-(0)203-379-3670 http://www.sozialpsychologie.uni-due.de/tgm
Conference location: Campus of University Duisburg-Essen (Duisburg), Forsthausweg 2, 47057 Duisburg

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

Sexuality Studies: A book series by Temple University Press. The coeditors of Sexuality Studies-Janice Irvine and Regina Kunzel-are currently soliciting book manuscripts. The series features work in sexuality studies, in its social, cultural, and political dimensions, and in both historical and contemporary formations. The editors seek books that will appeal to a broad, cross-disciplinary audience of both academic and nonacademic readers. Submissions to Sexuality Studies are welcome through Janet Francendese, Editor in Chief, Temple University Press (janet.francendese@temple.edu). Information on how to submit manuscripts can be found at: http://www.temple.edu/tempress/submissions.html. Initial inquiries about proposals can also be sent to: Janice Irvine, University of Massachusetts, Department of Sociology. irvine@soc.umass.edu; or, Regina Kunzel, University of Minnesota, Departments of Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies and History rkunzel@williams.edu.

The IABC Research Foundation is offering a grant for US $50,000 for Research on Communication Department Structure and Best Practices. Proposal guidelines can be found on the Research Foundation website http://www.iabc.com/rf/. The IABC Research Foundation serves as the non-profit research and development arm of IABC (International Association of Business Communicators). The Foundation is dedicated to contributing new findings, knowledge and understanding to the communication profession, and to helping organizations and communicators maximize organizational success. Through the generosity of donors, corporate sponsors and volunteers, the Foundation delivers original communication research and tools not available in the commercial marketplace.

 
The Canadian Journal of Communication (CJC) is a quarterly peer-reviewed journal committed to publishing outstanding scholarship in communications, media and cultural studies, journalism, and information studies. CJC is looking for theoretically innovative and methodologically challenging original manuscripts, in English or French, for immediate peer-review. To submit an article for peer-review go to the CJC website http://www.cjc-online.ca and click on the "submit" button. Articles for peer-review should be approximately 6,000 to 8,000 words in length. In addition to the traditional peer-reviewed article the CJC will develop innovative forms and formats for discussions of current practices including: media reviews, research overviews of current projects, and polemical commentaries. These submissions are shorter in length and may be either more descriptive or experimental in tone. Please direct ideas and inquiries to editor@cjconline.ca. For information on book reviews please contact our book review editor, Leslie Regan Shade, at review_editor@cjconline.ca. Info on CJC: Kim Sawchuk, Editor, CJC, editor@cjc-online.ca.
 
Visiting doctoral fellowships. The Media Management and Transformation Center (MMTC) at Jonkoping International Business School, Jonkoping University, Sweden, in the field of media business and media economics for advanced doctoral students. Dr. Cinzia dal Zotto, Research Manager, Media Management and Transformation Center, Jonkoping International Business School, P.O. Box 1026, SE-551 11 Jonkoping, SWEDEN. Info: http://www.jibs.se/mmtc. Email for more information: cinzia.dalzotto@ihh.hj.se.

NCI Fellowship in Health Communication and Informatics
The Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch (HCIRB) is accepting Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA) applicants for a Paid Fellowship Opportunity. HCIRB contributes to the reduction in death and suffering due to cancer by supporting research and development of a seamless health communication and informatics infrastructure. Through internal and extramural programs, the Branch supports basic and translational research across the cancer continuum. This CRTA fellowship offers outstanding training opportunities in health communication. The CRTA fellow will be a welcomed member of a team of passionate scientists, psychologists, and health communication researchers. Appropriate to the fellow’s interests, participation and leadership opportunities are offered in Information Technology projects, marketing and dissemination, health trends survey design and analysis, peer-reviewed journal articles, and travel to national meetings and conferences.

Master or bachelor level degree, preferably in health communication, health informatics, public health, or related field; strong organizational, planning, problem solving, and project management skills; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to work independently and creatively. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or resident aliens; be available 40 hours per week, for a six-month minimum. Some flexibility in work hours is allowed. The fellowship is renewable for up to two years and is based on demonstrated progress by mutual agreement among the fellow and supervisor.

For more details including how to apply: http://dccps.nci.nih.gov/brp/about/docs/HCIRBCRTAFellowship.pdf

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Founding Dean
Edward R. Murrow College of Communication

Washington State University (WSU), a distinguished public research university operating on four campuses across the State of Washington, seeks a founding dean for the newly created Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. Reporting to the Provost of the University, this position represents an exceptional opportunity for an experienced, innovative academic leader to transform the Murrow College, formerly a division of the College of Liberal Arts, into a preeminent standalone institution for teaching and research in communication and related fields.

Founded in 1890, WSU is a Carnegie I Doctoral/Research Extensive University  and Washington’s largest land-grant research institution, serving approximately 24,400 students through 200 fields of study, as well as 70 master’s and 44 doctoral degree programs. WSU was ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” 2007 edition as one of the nation’s 55 leading public research universities. To learn more about WSU, please see www.wsu.edu.

Named after its most illustrious alumnus, the esteemed journalist Edward R. Murrow, WSU’s College of Communication was formally established in July 2008. With approximately 1,400 majors and pre-majors, more than 50 master’s and doctoral students, and 31 faculty members, the Murrow College is the only program in the Northwest that offers sequences in all six communication fields: advertising, broadcasting, communication, communication studies, journalism, and public relations. For more information about the Murrow College, please see www.communication.wsu.edu. 

The founding dean of the Murrow College will be joining the university at a time of outstanding promise. Since assuming the Presidency of WSU in 2007, Dr. Elson S. Floyd has laid out an ambitious agenda for the university to improve the quality of research and instruction across the institution while excelling in select areas of specialization, aiming to more closely reflect those qualities found in institutions belonging to the American Association of Universities (AAU). The Murrow College of Communication is a developing center of excellence, and thus will be pivotal to the fulfillment of the university’s aspirations. The WSU leadership will provide support for the founding dean as he/she inspires and supports faculty, students and staff to transform the Murrow College into one of the nation’s premier institutions for teaching and research in communications.

The successful candidate for the founding dean position will possess proven experience as an effective, innovative academic leader and will have a record of scholarship, research, and participation in the communication profession.   The Dean will be expected to:  join the community and identify key strengths and opportunities for improvement; develop a clear, cohesive vision to guide the future of the Murrow College; support and develop excellent distinctive academic programs that balance theory with practice, instruction with research; build an adaptable organizational and operational framework for the Murrow College; and, create new revenue streams and steward finances to ensure the college’s autonomy and long-term sustainability. 

Review of nominations and applications will begin immediately, and will continue until the position is filled.  Please direct all inquiries, nominations and application materials, including a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and six references (including their complete contact information), to Isaacson, Miller via email to 3753@imsearch.com. For more information and a position description, go to www.imsearch.com.
Julie Filizetti and Katie Quinn
Isaacson, Miller, 649 Mission St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415.655.4900; Fax: 415.655.4905

Washington State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action educator and employer.

-----

UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA
Assistant Professor of Communication
(Multiplatform Media Production and Writing)

The University of Tampa invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Communication in Multiplatform Media Production and Writing, to begin in August 2009.

The ideal candidate will combine a background in professional journalism or journalism-related production with scholarly interest in, and ability to teach, multimedia production for emerging technologies.  S/he should be able to teach a range of courses (introductory to advanced) in online journalism, critical media studies, and digital media production, in both professional and critical contexts, within an interdisciplinary liberal arts environment.

The ideal candidate will show promise in scholarship and be committed to student advising, mentoring and service. An ability to connect discipline, knowledge, and expertise to the wider liberal arts curriculum, and to work collaboratively with colleagues across disciplines, is important. Graduate teaching experience is a plus.

The ideal applicant will have a Ph.D. or MFA.  ABD’s will be considered.

The University of Tampa is a growing, private liberal arts university in the heart of Florida’s second-largest metro area. Located on the Hillsborough River in the heart of downtown Tampa, the scenic campus provides access to community and business partners, as well as cultural venues. Currently the largest and fastest-growing department at the university, the Department of Communication has more than 500 undergraduate students, approximately 10 percent of the total student population at the university. The department collaborates in interdisciplinary programs with many other departments, including English, Art, Marketing, and Information Technologies Management.

Please apply online at:  https://jobs.ut.edu
Applications should be prepared to attach a Cover Letter, CV and a One-page Teaching Philosophy.  Optional materials may include a One-page Statement of Scholarship Interests, Sample Syllabi, and Sample of Written Work (which could consist of a sample scholarship and/or professional work - not to exceed 2 mb).

Review of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled.

The University of Tampa is an EOE/AA employer.

-----

MIAMI UNIVERSITY
Visiting Assistant Professor
Communication  (Middletown Campus) 

Visiting Assistant Professor to teach a variety of undergraduate courses, including introduction to mass communication, media and society, electronic media history, and mass media criticism.  Require:  Ph.D. (by time of appointment) in media studies, mass communication or related field; ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment.  Desire:  Competencies in the latest developments in new/digital media; ability to teach political and/or intercultural/international communication; previous teaching experience; ability to build or continue building a vital scholarly and/or creative record. Position is for one year with possibility of renewal based on funding and satisfactory performance.  Submit vita, three letters of recommendation, academic transcript, evidence of teaching effectiveness and cover letter discussing qualifications to Communications visiting Faculty Search Committee, Miami University Middletown, 4200 E. University Boulevard, Middletown, OH   45042.  Submit applications electronically to mumcomsearch@muohio.edu.  Screening of applications begins March 1, 2009, and will continue until the position is filled.  Miami University is an EOE/AA employer with smoke-free campuses.  For information regarding campus crime and safety, visit www.muohio.edu/righttoknow.  Hard copy upon request.

-----

AUBURN UNIVERSITY
Communication/Public Relations

The Department of Communication & Journalism at Auburn University, Auburn, AL, invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in Communication and Public Relations. Hiring for the position is contingent upon funding.  Review of applications begins February 1st, 2009. A full description of the position and application requirements can be found at: http://media.cla.auburn.edu/cla/faculty/administration/jobopportunities.cfm
 
Email inquiries to: Debra L. Worthington, Ph.D., Search Committee Chair,
worthdl@auburn.edu.

-----

KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (KAIST)
Open Rank, Tenure-Track Position in New Media,
Beginning in August 2009 or Earlier.

Graduate School of Information and Media Management (KSIM) at the Business School of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) seeks a promising scholar with teaching and research interests in the area of new media, including but not limited to, media convergence, media markets and economies, integrated marketing communications, and communication technology.

 Qualified applicants should have a social scientific emphasis, a strong background in quantitative methods, a focused research program, and motivation to seek external research funding. Including evidence of excellence in teaching in English is recommended, but not required.

To apply, send a letter of application, vita, and three letters of reference to: Dr. Soung-Hie Kim, Search Committee Chair, KSIM, KAIST, 87 Hoegiro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 130-722, KOREA.

Review will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

The Times of London Higher Education Supplement has ranked KAIST as 95th among the world's best universities.
More information on KSIM can be found at: http://ksim.kaist.ac.kr/asp/default_e.asp. Enquiries may be sent to the search committee chair at: ksimrecruit2009@business.kaist.edu.

We encourage applications from international scholars and women.

-----

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
ASO/FULL Professor of Public Relations

The Department of Public Relations in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida seeks applications for a 9-month tenured appointment at the associate or full professor rank to begin August 2009.

Qualifications:  Candidates must possess an earned Ph.D. in communication or other relevant field and an established record of scholarly research that demonstrates national distinction.  Other qualifications include excellence in teaching and the ability to work productively and effectively in and contributing to a collegial environment.

Responsibilities:  The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses in public relations.  The faculty member will supervise master’s theses and Ph.D. dissertations, as well as MA non-thesis option projects.  He or she will advise undergraduate and graduate students, engage in governance and other service activities, and demonstrate interest in contributing to diversity and the internationalization efforts of the college and university.  Expertise in interactive/emerging media is highly desirable.       

The Department of Public Relations is one of the largest public relations program in the United States, with nine tenured or tenure-track faculty members and one full-time lecturer.  It serves approximately 450 undergraduate majors and 55 graduate students, including 15 Ph.D. students.  The department consistently is ranked among the top three public relations programs in the United States and aspires to be the very best.  

The University of Florida seeks applications and nominations from a broad spectrum of individuals including women, members of diverse ethnic groups, and persons with disabilities. The University of Florida is an equal opportunity institution. The “Government in the Sunshine” laws of the State of Florida require that all documents related to the search process be available for public inspection.

Application Procedure: To view application instructions and complete an online resume, visit www.hr.ufl.edu/job. The reference number for this vacancy is 0801040. Applications must include an electronic copy of the following: (1) a letter of interest; (2) complete curriculum vitae; (3) names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three professional/academic references. The Search Committee may request additional materials at a later time. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call (352) 392-4621 or the Florida Relay System at (800) 955-8771 (TDD). Questions can be directed to Search Committee Chair Dr. Linda Hon, Executive Associate Dean, P.O. Box 118400, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8400 (telephone: (352) 392-0466) or lhon@jou.ufl.edu

Review of applications begins January 6, 2009, and continues until the position is filled.
   
 If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call (352) 392-4621 or the Florida Relay System at (800) 955-8771 (TDD). An Equal Opportunity Institution.

-----

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Annenberg School of Communication
Fellowships in Cancer Communication Research

The Penn Center of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research (CECCR) at the University of Pennsylvania offers two research fellowships in cancer communication for Fall 2009.  This two-year fellowship is jointly supported by the Center of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research of the Annenberg School for Communication and the Abramson Cancer Center.  The fellowship program offers training in communication research and theory relevant to cancer prevention and control.  The advanced, rigorous training and experience provided will prepare the fellows for careers as independent investigators in cancer communication research.  

The mission of the NCI-funded CECCR at PENN is to examine how messages from a range of sources in the complex communication environment affect cancer-related behavioral choices, including lifestyle, screening and care-seeking choices. Previous research has included experimental and observational field studies focused on information seeking and scanning concerning cancer, the effects of news media about genetic information and the effects of anti-smoking and smoking advertising campaigns.  New research initiatives will focus on understanding the interaction of public communication and clinical services as they affect cancer-related decisions and outcomes.

The Penn CECCR Fellows will obtain skills and experience to complement previous advanced work in communication, public health, behavioral science or biomedical research. Fellows with training in communication research can focus on cancer-related training; those with background in cancer research will focus on communication theory and research. Fellows will work closely with mentors in such areas as cancer epidemiology, health policy, behavioral theory, persuasion theory, risk and decision-making, psychophysiology as well as health communication. Fellows will participate in research in cancer communication using survey, experimental, and content analytic methods and will receive guidance in the preparation of manuscripts and career development grants.

Applicants must have training in social science or behavioral research methods and have received a PhD or an equivalent degree from an accredited institution. Applicants with an MD and at least one year of clinical research training will also be considered.  To obtain additional information or apply, please contact Joseph Cappella, Ph.D. (215-746-3400, ceccrfellow@asc.upenn.edu), Gerald R. Miller Professor of Communication, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. If applying, include letter of introduction, CV, and names of 3 references.  Applications will be considered on a continuing basis. To be assured of full consideration for a 7/1/2009 or 9/1/2009 start date please respond by February 15, 2009.
For additional information see http://ceccr.asc.upenn.edu/.

-----