James Fisher
Associate Professor (Lecturer), Communication
Graduate Student (Ph.D.), Communication
Communication
Languages & Communication Bldg
255 South Central Campus Dr RM 2400
Salt Lake City, Ut 84112-0491
Office: 2514 LNCO
Office Hours: T/Th 8:45am-10am or by appointment
Office Phone: (801) 581-4399
Email:
>> Curriculum Vitae
Over the past 32 years I have made a living as a reporter and writer, a photographer and designer and as an editor and occasional publisher. I've worked small town weekly papers and two states' largest, for arts magazines and for US News, in southwestern America and around the world in war zones. My most recent job in journalism was Executive Graphics Editor for The Salt Lake Tribune, where I redesigned the newspaper and brought digital technology to the art, photo and pagination departments.
Working in journalism and education over the past 30 years, I discovered that I can change the world for the better more effectively as a teacher who encourages young journalists to ask the right kinds of questions and to include the most useful information in their work. I reinforce that goal with my belief that our readers depend on fair and accurate reports that include the full spectrum of perspectives.
General Interests:
My interests are varied, from visual communication and photojournalism to graphic management and design, from editing and effective writing to cross-cultural journalism and media coverage of American Indians.
Teaching:
In addition to a variety of independent studies topics courses, I teach all of the mass comm core courses and several of the practical visual courses.
Research Interests:
-Representations of animals in the daily press
-Journalism Ethics
-Newsroom Practices
Service:
-Adviser to all Mass Comm students
-Adviser to The Daily Utah Chronicle
-Adviser to several local alternative publications
-Director of the annual high school journalism workshop
-Board member, Society of Professional Journalists
Outside of Class:
I am a women's soccer fanatic. I coached the women's team at the University of Missouri and several age group girls teams. I have also refereed at several levels. Don't get me started unless you want the long form.
My wife, Janet, and I have raised and trained bloodhounds and we still own one house pet version, Jake, 3, who slobbers all over everything when he's not sleeping.
We love to walk in the mountains with our dogs, and I also spend as much time fly-fishing as I can here at home on the middle Provo and occasionally in Ketchum on the Wood and other waters. At least once a year we make the trip to Yellowstone for hikes and fishing and quiet.
Research Statement
My primary research is in print media practices, specifically journalism management and news selection. I spend most of my time and effort relating visual communication theory to those interests. I am also particularly interested in cross-cultural journalism, especially on and among Indian tribes.
Research Keywords, Regions of Interest and Languages:
Keywords:
Journalism (4); Visual Communication (4); Indians
Current Courses
COMM 2530-1 Photojournalism
COMM 3555-2 Convergence Journalism
COMM 3620-1 Editorial Conference
COMM 4570-1 Visual Editing
Courses I Teach
COMM 1500 Intr Mass Communication
COMM 2530 Photojournalism
COMM 3550 Principles of Visual Comm
COMM 3555 Convergence Journalism
COMM 3600 Editing Process
COMM 3620 Editorial Conference
COMM 3660 Intermediate Reporting
COMM 4570 Visual Editing
COMM 5540 Media & Diversity
COMM 5570 Adv Visual Editing
COMM 5770 Communication Design
COMM 6540 Media & Diversity