Three years ago, I attended a presentation at the Knight Digital Media Center; Prof. Ernest J. Wilson III, Dean of the Annenberg School of Communication & Journalism at the University of Southern California welcomed us, NPR leaders attending a seminar in his campus on planning our digital future. Dean Wilson’s main idea was to encourage us to prepare for the future by understanding the digital environment and transform ourselves to accept the disruption. It was then that I learned that that there is a capacity gap in e-leadership that needs to be closed. He said e-leaders are the innovators and early adopters that spread new technologies in their communities and organizations and that e-leaders are scarce. According to Dean Wilson, it is not easy to find the right kind of talent to provide e-leadership and he lists the competencies needed in this new environment as SAKE: Skills, Attitude, Knowledge and Experience. Read More »
The next Silicon Valley, USC’s Annenberg?
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — Ernest Wilson smiles when he assesses his job as the dean of the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California.
Wilson, for his part, can take pride in knowing he is making progress with his journalism, communications and public relations agenda. He supervises one of the nation’s most complex and ambitious media-education programs. Read More »
Digital media’s prevalence adds extra challenge to strategic PR
PRWeek, 2010
Executives must reconcile the rapid reconfiguration within the formal communications function. The dividing lines between what we used to call PR, corporate communications, investor relations, advertising, marketing, and customer service are being dissolved and radically rearranged. When a CEO wants to take his or her company into new markets, who should guide the process? How are these responsibilities to be reassigned and evaluated? Read More »
“Innovate or Die”
Ernest J. Wilson III, Dean of Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California talks to EDU about his vision for the school and about the role of media schools and communications Read More »
Innovate Or Die
EDU TECH, 2010
EDU: What changes did you bring when you joined as the new Dean?
Ernest: We started with the idea of the ‘three Is’—innovation, impact and
internationalisation. Innovation because the field of media is dynamic. An
institution which provides media training to students must be innovative. It
was Gandhi who said that we must become the change we want to see in the
world. If we want our students to be innovative, then we (professors) must
also innovate. I thought of impact as the second ‘I’, because I wanted to
ensure that the school continued its commitment to impact the society in a
positive way. The third point is internationalisation. With the world becoming
more global, our students should be able to adjust to all cultures. Read More »
Annenberg School Gets a New Name that Invests in Journalism
Our new name, and particularly the strong support of our primary champion, Wallis Annenberg, both underscores our commitment to journalism and also makes more explicit that we are a full-service school offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in communication, journalism and public relations, as well as programs for mid-career professionals. We are continuing to integrate the best of the journalistic tradition with contributions from the fields of communication, media studies and strategic public relations.
Where are J-Schools in Great Debate over Journalism’s Future?
Poynter, 2009
Dean Ernest J. Wilson III writes an Aug. 27 Poynter article stating that journalism schools and professors need to be involved in the debate over the future of news.
China and India Confront Similar Challenges in the Media: A Trip Report
Just back from 3 weeks in Asia – India and China – and the biggest surprise was the agreement by leading journalism educators, practitioners and media experts in both countries that the current system of educating people for the media just isn’t working very well. Who knew?! They are just like us!
Dean Wilson featured in Diverse magazine
USC Annenberg Dean Ernest J. Wilson III was the featured cover story in the December issue of Diverse magazine, which covers issues in higher education. The article says Dean Wilson "brings a dazzling breadth of academic and public affairs experience" to USC Annenberg.
Wilson begins term as Annenberg School dean
Ernest James Wilson III begins his term as the Dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication.
Dean Wilson will also hold the Walter H. Annenberg Chair in Communication, which was established in 1984 in honor of the late Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg.