The CRC at 66: A Legacy of Inquiry in a Changing Media Landscape

By: Michelle Amazeen

COM graduate students in the division of Emerging Media Studies hosted their annual #ScreentimeBU conference on June 23rd. This year’s theme was The Human Algorithm: Exploring Digital Behavior, AI Influence, & Inclusive Futures. I was honored to deliver the following welcoming address:

This year’s theme invites us to reflect on the evolving relationship between media, technology, and society—and to ask what it means to be human in an age increasingly shaped by algorithms.

To understand where we are, we must first look back. The field of communication research was born in the early 20th century, when scholars began to study the effects of film—the “new media” of the era—on children and young people. By the 1950s, television had become the focus of concern, prompting a wave of research into how media influences behavior, perception, and culture.

It was in this context that Boston University’s School of Public Relations and Communication (the precursor to COM) founded the Communication Research Center (CRC) in the summer of 1959. Under the leadership of Dr. Edward J. Robinson, and with the contributions of Professors Ralph Rosnow and Fred Powell, the CRC became a hub for rigorous, socially engaged scholarship. In the decades that followed, CRC fellows examined the effects of television on children (among other things), paralleling the work of George Gerbner and his Cultural Indicators Project, which introduced concepts like Cultivation Theory and the Mean World Syndrome—the idea that people who watch a lot of TV come to see the world as more dangerous than it actually is.

Over a half century later, today we face a new media landscape—one that is faster, more fragmented, and more immersive than ever before. Social media platforms have rewired childhood and adolescence, as scholars like Jonathan Haidt have argued, contributing to rising levels of anxiety and depression. Generative AI tools like Google Gemini and ChatGPT are reshaping how we create and consume content, often without sufficient public understanding or critical oversight. In the New York Times just this morning is the article, The AI Race Is Splitting the World Into Haves and Have-Nots, particularly between the Global North and the Global South. And in an era of “content confusion,” where misinformation spreads rapidly and trust in institutions is eroding, the stakes of communication research have never been higher.

We are also living through a turbulent time: government investment in science is shrinking, global alliances are under strain, and democratic norms are under threat. In this climate, the CRC remains committed to advancing research that is not only methodologically sound but also socially meaningful.
One of the most powerful—and accessible—ways to stay grounded in such times is by engaging critically with the information and technologies we consume and share. Communication research gives us the tools to do just that. It helps us decode media messages, understand their effects, and imagine more inclusive, ethical, and humane digital futures.

As we explore “The Human Algorithm” together over the next few hours, let us remember: the power of media is not just in the tools we build, but in the questions we dare to ask. And the most powerful algorithm of all… is the human one.
Thank you for being part of this community.

While this message began as a welcome to graduate students and scholars, its themes resonate far beyond the walls of academia. Whether you’re a student, educator, policymaker, technologist, or simply a curious citizen, we all have a role to play in shaping the digital world we inhabit. The questions we ask—and the values we uphold—will determine the kind of future we create. Let us continue to engage critically, act ethically, and imagine boldly. Because in the end, the most powerful algorithm isn’t artificial—it’s human.