The Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Southern California seeks applications for a tenure track Assistant or tenured Associate Professor in the area of media industries and economics. We define media industries broadly, from television, film, music, telecommunication and radio, to streaming services, platforms and infrastructures, including social media, immersive and interactive media, gaming and game engine technology, and the convergences across them all. The ideal candidate will be familiar with the historical and shifting structural and material conditions transforming the media industries, whether technological, economic, political, legal and regulatory, or socio-cultural. Of notable interest are critical scholars interested in considerations of how power operates within these industries, while also tracking the latest developments in media innovation and entrepreneurship, how strategic media management and behavioral economics inform creative and corporate leadership, disruption of business models and supply chains, the nature and impact of datafication, algorithms, and artificial intelligence on media practices, and the challenges facing media labor, professionalization, and unionization. Other areas of specialization might include relationships to communities marginalized by race and ethnicity, sexuality, gender, and ableness; the relation of regulation and policy to media industries; the environmental impacts of media industries; and, the politics and policies of media convergence. The candidate will contribute to our Ph.D. program, industry-related master’s programs, and undergraduate program. Candidates should have a Ph.D. by the start of appointment in the fields of communication, media studies, economics, or related disciplines, and be able to demonstrate excellence in teaching, and a publication record indicative of promise for leading scholarship in this field.
About the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
The USC Annenberg School was established in 1971 with a gift from US Ambassador Walter Annenberg. It has grown over time to include programs in both Journalism and Communication, and now houses several important centers and initiatives (https://annenberg.usc.edu/research). The School has a long history of collaborating with other academic units, and with agencies off campus. Noteworthy are our ties to the entertainment industry (e.g., via the Norman Lear Center), to the Division of Cinema and Media in the School of Cinematic Arts, and to the interdisciplinary USC Games programs. The School has a combined undergraduate and graduate enrollment of over 2000. We have 29 tenured/tenure line and 28 additional Research, Teaching, Practice, and Clinical Faculty. Both our faculty and our 73 doctoral students represent diverse disciplinary backgrounds affording a rich intellectual environment. The Annenberg School is committed to fostering a culture and climate of tolerance, diversity and inclusion, as is evident in the Schools' various centers and initiatives (https://annenberg.usc.edu/research). Consequently, all qualified applicants are encouraged to apply in accordance with the University's mission to ensure equal opportunity (see below).
Applicants
To be considered for this position, all candidates must apply via the USC Employee Recruitment Services website. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in communication, media studies, or a related field. Submission materials should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, 1-2 samples of recent refereed publications and the names of three references. Final candidates will be requested to submit three (3) letters of recommendation. The cover letter should be addressed to School of Communication Faculty Search, attention Prof. David Craig, Annenberg School of Communication, University of Southern California, 3502 Watt Way, Suite 305, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0281. Applicants may direct questions to Billie Shotlow at (shotlow@usc.edu) or (213-821-2718) regarding the search process. Materials submitted by regular mail will not be accepted.
Please submit applications and all related materials no later than 1 February 2025. Questions about the position can be directed to the search chair, Associate Professor David Craig at davidcra@usc.edu.
The annual base salary range for this position is $115,000 - $150,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.
USC is an equal-opportunity educator and employer, proudly pluralistic and firmly committed to providing equal opportunity for outstanding persons of every race, gender, creed and background. The university particularly encourages members of underrepresented groups, veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply. USC will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. Further information is available by contacting uschr@usc.edu.
USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.