News

How Tobacco Retail Exposure Impacts Smoking Behavior

Penn researchers have found that smokers report higher levels of craving and smoked more cigarettes on days when their exposure to tobacco retail is higher.

• Health Communication

The Media, Inequality, and Change Center Publishes “Informing Philadelphia: Strengths and Gaps in Local Media’s Coverage of Critical Information Needs”

A new report from the MIC Center highlights the strengths and shortcomings of local media in Philadelphia.

• Media Institutions

Annenberg Conversations Podcast: Following Global Media Flows

The Annenberg School is pleased to launch season two of Annenberg Conversations, a podcast series where Dean Sarah Banet-Weiser, examines vital and pressing issues in the field of communication studies with leading Annenberg scholars

Most Americans Favor MMR Vaccine Requirement for Public School

A recent survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that 70% of the public supports vaccine requirements for MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) for children to attend public school.

• Health Communication

Americans’ Knowledge of Civics Increases, Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey Finds

The annual Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey has found that 70% of U.S. adults are able to name all three branches of government, up from 65% last year.

• Political Communication

Call for Proposals: Siren! A Magazine for Feminism, Media, and Activism

Siren! is a new student-led, open-access journal focused on feminism, media, and activism.

Open Philanthropy Awards $336K to Map the Impact of Scientific Funding Cuts

The interdisciplinary team that developed an interactive, data-driven map to communicate the economic impact of sweeping cuts to federal funding for scientific and medical research recently received a $336,000 award from Open Philanthropy to sustain and expand their project.

• Science Communication

OpenAI, DeepSeek, and Google Vary Widely in Identifying Hate Speech

Doctoral candidate Neil Fasching and Associate Professor Yphtach Lelkes have found dramatic differences in how large language models classify hate speech, with especially large variations for language about certain demographic groups, raising concerns about bias and disproportionate harm.

• Technology & Society

Desmond Patton Named Penn Commonwealth-Engaged Scholar

The Penn Commonwealth-Engaged Scholars (PCES) Program is a new initiative aimed at deepening the university’s connection with communities across Pennsylvania.

Call for Abstracts: 2026 CDCS Symposium

Submissions should focus on affects and emotions in contemporary digital cultures.