Professor Daniel Robinson has been selected as the next Rogers Chair in Journalism and New Information Technology for 2010-2011 in the Faculty of Information & Media Studies.
The existing Rogers Chair position was officially founded in 1995, based on government funding and a $1 million dollar donation received from Rogers Cable Company. The successful candidate receives $10,000 annually and release from teaching duties, and is expected to set a research agenda in Journalism and New Technologies.
While holding this position, Robinson will be investigating, “Health, Journalism, and Media Economics,” which draws on existing research within the faculty and generates new research connecting media and health studies.
Robinson describes his research as the upcoming Rogers Chair, as follows:
“The project is inspired, in part, by my research on the advertising of unhealthy and socially problematic products like patent medicines, cigarettes, and alcohol. Such a list today could easily be expanded to include: high-fat/high-cholesterol foods; children-marketed snacks and beverages; weight loss products; energy drinks; pharmaceutical drugs; infomercial miracle cures; and casinos and lotteries, among others.
Traditional mass media, such as network TV and newspapers, rely increasingly on contentious sources of advertising and other advertising sources like classifieds have migrated to the Internet, he says.
“As younger Canadians gravitate more to online news and entertainment outlets, the remaining – and declining – audiences for newspapers and network television are increasingly older. Newspapers and broadcasters have responded with more health-related news and programming, but this is set against a backstop of product advertising that often undermines somatic and psychological health, along with social well-being.”
This situation is partially offset by use of the Internet and other new media to seek out health news and information, with both beneficial and detrimental effects, he adds.
Robinson began his one-year term on July 1, succeeding Jonathan Burston as the Rogers Chair holder.