BBG Communications : College of Journalism and Mass Communications

The tradition of practical knowledge and outstanding academics, which Will Owen Jones started when he taught the first class in journalism at the University of Nebraska in 1894, continues today. Jones subsequently became well-known as editor of the Nebraska State Journal, a forerunner of the Lincoln Journal Star.

The classes in journalism developed slowly until 1923, a School of Journalism led by English professor Miller Moore Fogg was eventually established. Its first director, Fogg served the School until his demise in 1926.

Upon Fogg's death, the young Gayle Walker former assistant to Fogg, substituted him as interim director. Walker was made director upon his completion of further graduate study, directing the program until 1942. During Walker’s stint, there was improved collaboration between the School and other academic departments. Faculty from other departments who helped out in teaching journalism classes were a crucial part of the novel interdepartmental approach.

In 1942, the School appointed an experienced journalist Harold Hamil as director in 1942.  After two years, he quit the post for the editorship of a St. Louis newspaper. From 1944 to 1946, Professor Forest Blood, from the business faculty who taught advertising coursework, was the interim director.

The end of the Second World War marked the beginning of a number of significant milestones for the University of Nebraska Journalism School. In 1946, Dr. William Swindler was appointed director. The School acquired then recently freed up spaces in Burnett Hall in 1948. Classes in advertising classes continued to be offered jointly with the Business College. In collaboration with the Speech Department, the School set up Broadcast news classes.  The Speech Department had already offered radio courses since 1937. William Hall carried on as director in 1956 when Swindler moved to the College of William and Mary as a law professor.

Under Hall’s leadership, the School moved from Burnett to Nebraska Hall and expanded the journalism courses on offer. In 1954, through the initiative of Jack McBride, television classes were offered using the facilities of the public KUON-TV which broadcasting for the first time that year. Because of the push by Nebraska professionals, all broadcasting courses were transferred to the School of Journalism in 1963. Around this time too, the School build up the sequence of courses on advertising. Success in the national Hearst Awards highlighted the competitiveness of the news-editorial major.

President Kennedy acknowledged the School’s national successes when he met Director Hall, Professor Neale Copple and several students at the White House.

After Bill Hall accepted the directorship of the Ohio State University School of Journalism in1966, Neale Copple succeeded him.  Copple graduated from NU with a B.A. and became a member of the faculty while Hall was director. Coople easily ascended to national prominence when his depth reporting book was published. As director, he instituted more changes in the School and gave it to even more national recognition.

Existing courses were reformed, and new courses were added to the curriculum. The news-editorial, broadcasting and advertising majors were strengthened. The accreditation of the broadcasting and advertising majors were accepted in 1972, joining the news-editorial majors. Radio station KRNU (FM) was launched in 1970 to allow broadcasting students to gain practical experience. In 1972, the J-School moved again this time to Avery Hall, occupying three floors there. There were larger facilities at Avery, which fit the increasing student population of the School.

Two years after the Nebraska Legislature authorized the university to offer graduate program in journalism/mass communication and broadcasting in 1974, the School offered graduate courses. Subsequently in 1979, upon the motion of Chancellor Roy Young, the NU Board of Regents upgraded the status of the J-School from a department in the College of Arts and Sciences to an independent school. Thus, Neale Copple's title was renamed dean. The School’s official name was eventually changed to the College of Journalism and Mass Communications in 1985 after Nebraska laws governing the University of Nebraska was fine-tuned, further clarifying its independence.

Dean Copple retired in 1990, and he was replaced by Dr. Will Norton, then chair of the Department of Journalism at the University of Mississippi. Norton, who continued to combine professional and academic excellence, guided the program in the direction of even greater participation in national events and achieving more national acclaim as well.

Practicing journalists worldwide are now accessing instructions from the journalism graduate program via a number of satellite and Internet technologies. Using the same technologies, the college offered on-line continuing education for professionals through teleconferences. The teleconferences were designed with inputs from professional organizations and other universities.

As the college strives to maintain its national leadership and take further pioneering steps in the field, it moved out of Avery Hall and into a new home. The College of Journalism and Mass Communications is now occupying the Security Mutual Life building re-christened Harold and Marian Andersen Hall, ready for the challenges ahead.