News

Desmond Upton Patton Named 2026 Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare

Patton is one of nine new fellows recognized for their distinguished accomplishments as scholars and leaders in the field of social work and social welfare.

An Inside Look at the History of Television

Materials in the Annenberg School for Communication Library Archives include thousands of TV scripts, the first issue of TV Guide, and interviews about the early days of HBO—which help to chronicle TV’s 100-year story.

• Media Institutions

100 Years of Television: Annenberg Answers

Annenberg experts share how television has evolved over the last century.

• Culture & Media
• Global Communication
• Technology & Society

5 Things: A Conversation With Spike Lee

Penn’s Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award recipient and award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee spoke with professor Heather A. Williams, about the Civil Rights Movement, filmmaking, and more.

Worldmaking in the Age of Streaming

Does representation in mainstream media deliver the social change it promises? Or have we mistaken visibility for progress, celebrating symbolic...

• Media Institutions

Most Americans Would Recommend RSV Immunizations for Infants, Older Adults, and During Pregnancy

A new survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that about 6 in 10 Americans would recommend RSV immunizations for older adults, pregnant people, and infants.

• Health Communication

New Report Unpacks the Crises Facing American Journalism and Offers Solutions

A report co-authored by Professor Victor Pickard traces the erosion of the free press in the United States over the past two decades.

• Media Institutions

At the Inaugural Annabelle Sreberny Distinguished Lecture, Anikó Imre Explored the Intersection Between Fantasy, Storytelling, and Politics in Eastern Europe

The USC professor analyzed political worldbuilding in Eastern Europe.

• Culture & Media

How the Cold War Broke the News

While big tech and market forces get much of the blame for the decline of news media, Professor Barbie Zelizer makes the bold claim in her new book that problematic journalistic practices that became entrenched during the Cold War are responsible for the current issues facing journalism, such as inadequate funding and declining public trust.

• Political Communication

Q&A: In the Archives, A Student Uncovers How Music Shaped Presidential Campaigns

For his honors thesis, Communication major graduate C.H. Henry examined how presidential campaigns have used music to court voters, with guidance from Institute for Public Service Director David Eisenhower.

• Culture & Media