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Profile

My career has included stints as a writer and educator for parks and museums, an applied ecologist, a features reporter for daily and weekly newspapers, a copy editor and copy chief at a metro daily, and a communications professor in New York, Texas, and North Carolina.

A mid-career transition from natural resources to communication led to a focus on Web development by way of journalism, publication design, and then Web. I write and do research about Web journalism and motives of Web content creators. Admittedly more left- than right-brained, I teach Web development from the ground up, with a precise eye for code, standards as well as for emerging technical, and design, conventions. We are continually reminded in this field of the importance of the “digital” in digital arts.

I teach journalism and communication courses from a technical perspective as well, with an eye on the converging trajectories of online media and Web and digital arts.

Areas of Expertise

Education

Teaching

Recent Articles

Beatty, J. E. (2008). Crossing a Virtual Boundary: Trends and Issues Confronting Print Journalism in the Digital Era. Journal of the International Digital Media and Arts Association 5(1): 5–13. 

Beatty, J.E. (2003). “55’s the Limit. How to use the 55-word short story in a feature writing class.” The Community College Journalist 31(2): 8–10. 

Beatty, J.E. (2000). “From Cooperative to Court Case: Struggles for Community Radio in Austin, Texas.” Journal of Radio Studies 7(2): 310-328.

Recent Reviews

Beatty, J.E. (2007). Review of Copeland, David A. The Idea of a Free Press. The Enlightenment and Its Unruly Legacy. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 84(4): 855–857. 

Beatty, J.E. (2006). Review of Knowlton, Steven R., and Freeman, Karen L. (eds.) Fair and Balanced. A History of Journalistic Objectivity. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 83(1): 207–208.

Beatty, J.E. (2004). Review of Klotz, Robert J. The Politics of Internet Communication. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 81(2): 457–458. 

Beatty, J.E. (2004). Review of Kundanis, Rose M., Children, Teens, Families, and Mass Media. The Millennial Generation.  Mass Communication and Society 7(1): 249–251.

Recent Presentations

McManus, M., Beatty, J. & McCoey, M. (2008, January). “IT Strategic Planning: Enhancing Teaching and Learning with New Technologies.” EDUCAUSE Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, Baltimore, MD.

Beatty, J.E. (2007, November). “Overview of Digital Journalism/What’s it doing? Where’s it Going?” International Digital Media and Arts Association, Philadelphia, PA

Beatty, J.E. (2006, June). “Motives and Parasocial Interactions of Fan Celebrity Web Site Creators.” Communication Technology Division, International Communication Association, Dresden, Germany. 

Cech, M. & Beatty, J.E. (2005, August). “Fan Websites: Motives, Identification and Site Content.” Entertainment Studies Interest Group, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, San Antonio, Texas. 

Beatty, J.E. (2004, October). “The Libertarian Party: Communication from the Margins.” Middle Atlantic American Studies Association, Bethlehem, Pa. 

Beatty, J.E. (2003, August). “55’s the Limit. How to Use the 55-Word Short Story in a Feature Writing Class.” Small Programs Interest Group, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Kansas City, Mo.  

Beatty, J.E. (2001, November). “Harv Morgan, KYW and the Origins of Talk Radio.” Radio Division, Popular Culture Association, Philadelphia, Pa. 

Other Professional Activities

Active paper reviewer, past officer for Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (Mass Communication and Society division) and paper reviewer, International Communication Association (Communication technology Division), manuscript reviewer Journal of Radio Studies, Mass Communication and Society.