College of Information and Communications
Faculty and Staff
Laura K. Smith, Ph.D.
| Title: | Journalism Sequence Head |
| Department: | School of Journalism and Mass Communications College of Information and Communications |
| Email: | lksmith@sc.edu |
| Phone: | 803-777-5232 |
| Office: |
School of Journalism and Mass Communications 800 Sumter Street, Room 207 Columbia, SC 29208 |
| Resources: | Curriculum Vitae |
Education
B.S., Telecommunication, University of Florida
M.A., Mass Communication, University of Florida
Ph.D., Journalism, University of Texas at Austin
Research
Dr. Laura Smith's research interests include news diversity, multi-platform journalism practices, media convergence, FCC ownership policy and consolidation, newsroom processes, and journalism pedagogy/education.
Teaching
Smith joined the faculty in Fall 2015. She has more than 25 years of broadcast industry and university-level teaching experience — specializing in Journalism and Mass Communications. She teaches an array of courses focusing on multi-platform news, including writing, visual storytelling, newscast production and others. Before teaching, Smith spent more than 12 years working in television, primarily local TV news.
Publications
Smith, L. (2009). Consolidation and news content: How broadcast ownership policy impacts local television news and the public interest. Journalism & Communication Monographs, 10, 369-453.
Smith, L. K. (2008). Race, ethnicity & student sources: Minority newsmakers in student-produced versus professional TV news stories. Howard Journal of Communications, 19(2), 182-199.
Smith, L. & Tanner A., & Duhe, S. F. (2007). Convergence concerns in local television: conflicting views from the newsroom. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 51, 555-574.
Tanner, A., Smith, L. K. (2007). Preparing students for convergent journalism: A nationwide survey of medium and small market TV producers and reporters. Electronic News, 1, 211-225.
Poindexter, P. M., Smith, L. K., & Heider, D. (2003). Race and ethnicity in local television news: Framing, story assignments, and source selections. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 47(4), 524-536.
Service
Smith currently serves as a liaison between AEJMC and the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). She is an active member of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)’s Electronic News Division, recently serving as division Head (2012-2013), and is currently a member of AEJMC's Future of News Audience Engagement Committee.
Smith serves on the editorial board of the Electronic News journal as well as The Howard Journal of Communication.
She is currently a member of AEJMC's Committee on News Engagement
Personal
Smith lives in Columbia with her husband and daughter. She and her family are known for traveling the country during the summer — camping, hiking, swimming and seeing the world. She is an avid college football fan, loves to sail and has traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean.