Communication and Inequalities in Context: Reflections from Cape Town By Michelle Amazeen On June 4-8, 2026, Boston University was well represented at the 76th Annual International Communication Association (ICA) Conference with over a dozen faculty and graduate students in attendance. Held in Cape Town, South Africa, this year’s theme – Communication and Inequalities In Context […]
The Spring 2026 Semester in Review By Michelle Amazeen With the end of another semester, I have been reflecting upon the many activities in the CRC and among our fellows in 2026, thus far. At a time when external research funding continues to be difficult to attain (and retain), the CRC again provided two internal […]
How Three Minutes Can Make Research Matter By Michelle Amazeen I was recently invited by BU’s Office of Graduate Affairs to deliver the keynote address at the 2026 “Three Minute Thesis” (3MT) Competition.3MT is an internationally celebrated program in which graduate students learn to share their work with non- specialist audiences in only three minutes. […]
Access, Influence, and Visibility: Communication Research on the Epstein Story By Michelle Amazeen On February 4, 2026, BU’s The Daily Free Press published an article with the explosive headline, “BU COM dean corresponded extensively with Jeffrey Epstein in 2014 and 2015, files show.” The story notes that these contacts occurred after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea […]
Why Legacy News Must Lead the Way Amid Content Confusion By Michelle Amazeen The media world faced big challenges in 2025. Social media platforms like Meta cut back on independent fact-checking, citing concerns about free speech. Yet, polls show most Americans across political lines want information verified, especially on health topics. At the same time, […]
The Fall 2025 Semester in Review By: Michelle Amazeen December marks the conclusion of another bustling semester for the CRC which kicked off with our annual open house co-hosted this year with the Center for Media Innovation & Social Impact. Our fall programming included our Colloquium Series, which consists of monthly research presentations that highlight […]
Content Confusion: Why Americans Are Losing Faith in Corporate Climate Promises—and the Media’s Role By: Michelle Amazeen As the world wrestles with an accelerating climate crisis, hope rests on collective action from governments, corporations, and citizens. Yet last week’s conclusion of COP30 produced an agreement largely seen as “incremental at best” and far less than […]
Navigating Pressures and Protecting Free Speech: Public Views and the Future of Media Freedom By: Michelle Amazeen Following recent government pressure to remove Jimmy Kimmel from his ABC late-night show over his politically charged remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Boston University’s Communication Research Center (CRC) conducted a nationwide survey to gauge […]
Back to School 2025 By: Michelle Amazeen With the crispness of fall settling in and the start of a new semester, I hope all Communication Research Center (CRC) fellows are re-energized and entering this semester with renewed enthusiasm for their important work. Many of us have continued advancing our research and sharing insights throughout the […]
Information Under Threat: Protecting Truth and Democracy in Uncertain Times By: Michelle Amazeen As a professor in higher education, I spent this summer advancing my research, planning new courses, and observing with growing concern the narrowing of public information in our society. Last week, I attended the journalism and mass communication educators’ conference in San […]