On behalf of CRC Fellows, Dr. Lei Guo offers a few words on the significance of Dr. Shaw’s work for the field of communication and understanding media effects:
“Dr. Donald Shaw, one of the most influential scholars in communication research, passed away on October 19th, 2021. Dr. Shaw was best known for his work, with Dr. Maxwell McCombs, on developing agenda-setting theory in 1972 to explain the way news media influences public opinion. Their work was groundbreaking and revolutionary at the time and is still very relevant today to help us understand the power of the media, old or new. For example, his more recent work on agenda melding further clarifies how individuals of different backgrounds consume and are affected by news in this diverse media landscape. Dr. Shaw’s scholarly work and his passion and dedication for communication research influenced generations of students.”
Dr. Shaw was the Kenan Professor Emeritus at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, where he taught for 46 years. His legacy of teaching and research will continue to live on in those he taught, inspired, and influenced.