About the College
About the Dean
Dr. John W. Wright II is dean of the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. As dean, he is responsible for the overall leadership and administration of a college of 70 faculty, 65 staff members and over 3,000 students. The college includes departments of Advertising, Journalism, Public Relations and Telecommunication. In addition, the college is home to the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, the Jerry Davis Interactive Media Laboratory, The Documentary Institute, the Knight Division for Scholarships, Career Services and Multicultural Affairs, and six broadcasting facilities, including the local PBS television station (WUFT-TV), the local NPR station (WUFT-FM) and its repeater station (WJUF), two commercial radio stations (WRUF AM-FM) and a low-power television station (WLUF-LP).
Education
1973-77: The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Ph.D. awarded August 31, 1977.
1972-73: University of Central Florida, Orlando. M.A., June 8, 1973.
1969-71: University of Central Florida, Orlando. B.A. Cum Laude, June 6, 1971
1963-1967: Avon Park High School, Avon Park, Fla., June 6, 1967
Administrative and Teaching Experience
Dean and Professor, December 2007 - present.
Interim Dean and Professor, July 2006 - December 2007.
Executive Associate Dean and Professor, July 2001 - 2006.
Senior Associate Dean and Professor, July 1999 - 2001.
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Professor, July 1994 - 1999
Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies and Professor, August 1993 - July 1994: Direct doctoral and master's programs for college, teach graduate and undergraduate courses.
Professor, August 1986 - August 1997; Associate Professor, August 1982 - August 1986: Department of Telecommunication, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida. Teach research courses, media law, telecommunication regulations, media management, and electronic journalism.
Assistant Professor August 1978 - July 1982: Department of Communication Arts, University of Alabama, Birmingham. Taught mass communication courses.
Assistant Professor, August 1976 - August 1978: Department of Communication, Purdue University, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Taught mass communication courses.
Professional Work Experience
Radio
WAUC, WAVP, WINQ, WJCM, WSEB, August 1963-1971:
Responsibilities included staff announcing, production manager, music director,
news reporter, news director, program director for AM-FM station. Formats
included MOR, Top 40, News-Talk, and Country and Western.
Television
WEDU (St. Petersburg Studio), August 1967-August 1968: Full and Part-time.
Worked with various television production operations, public affairs.
Honors and Awards
Salary Step Plan for Professors Award, 2001.
Winner of Professorial Excellence Award, 1998-99.
Selected Three Times as "Teacher of the Year" for the College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, 1984-1985, 1989-90, and 1992-93.
Winner of UF Teaching Incentive Award, 1995-96.
Selected as "Researcher of the Year" in the College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, 1988.
Nominated by student body as outstanding teacher in the School of Humanities, University of Alabama in Birmingham for the Ingall's Award, 1979-1980 and 1980-1981.
Received research award (with Lawrence A. Hosman) from the Commission on Communication and Law awarded annually to the author of the outstanding research article by the Speech Communication Association, Washington, D.C., November 1983.
Selected Research and Publication
Books
Smith, F.L., John W. Wright, II, and David Ostroff, Perspectives on Radio and Television: Radio and television in the United States. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ: 1998, 27 Chapters, 688 pages. (Wright author of chapters 8, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 25-27.)
Smith, F.L., Milan Meeske, and John W. Wright, II, Electronic Media and Government: The Regulation of Wireless and Wired Mass Communication in the United States. White Plains, New York: Longman Publishing, 1995, 16 Chapters, 528 pages. (Wright author of chapters 1, 2, 9, 14, 15, 16.)
Springhorn, Ronald G., John W. Wright, II and Michael J. Beatty, Introduction to Human Communications: A Course Workbook. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall Hunt Publishing. 1977, 142 pages.
Books, Chapter
Springhorn, Ronald G. Explorations in Human Communication: A Basic Understanding. Columbus, Ohio: Collegiate Press, 1978. Wrote chapter on mass media communications, "Mass Communication: Receiving Messages From the Media."
Refereed Publications
"Trial by Media? Media Reliance, Knowledge of Crime and Perception of Criminal Defendants," with Susan Dente Ross (Wright first author), Communication Law and Policy, 2(1997), 397-416.
"Deregulation and Public Perceptions of Television: A Longitudinal Study," Communication Studies, 41(1990), 266-277.
"Listener Perceptions of Radio News," with Lawrence A. Hosman (Wright first author), Journalism Quarterly. 63(1987), 802-808, 814.
"The Effects of Hedges and Intensifiers on Impression Formation in a Simulated Courtroom Contest," with Lawrence A. Hosman (Wright second author), Western Journal of Speech Communication, 51(1987), 160-173.
"Language Style and Sex Bias in the Courtroom," with Lawrence A. Hosman (Wright first author), in Southern Speech Communication Journal, ILVIII (1983), 137-152.
"Analysis of the Interpersonal Dimension of High Anxiety Communication," with Arthur J. Cara (Wright first author), in Communication, XIV (1983), 79-98.
"Communication and Trial Advocacy: A Review and Critique of the Literature," with Lawrence A. Hosman (Wright first author), in Proceedings of the Florida Institute for the Study of the Trial, Orlando, Florida; March 1980.
Non-Refereed Publications
H.R. 3333: An Analysis of the Critical Issues Involved in the Attempted Rewrite of the Communications Act of 1934. Published by the Republican Caucus of the United States Senate, December 10, 1979.
"A Review of Research on Jury selection and Jury Behavior," with K. Phillip Taylor, (Wright second author), published in Proceedings of the National Conference on Communication Strategies in the Practice of Lawyering. Tucson, Arizona, Fall 1983.
Refereed Papers Presented at Scholarly Conferences
"Women in Television News Management: Do They Make a Difference?" with Laura K. Smith (Wright second author), presented as a Top Three Paper at the national conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Baltimore, August, 1998.
"Media Reliance and Potential Agenda-Setting Effects of the Mass Media on Scientific Investigation," with Carla Bare (Wright second author), presented at the national conference of the Speech Communication Association, Miami, November, 1993.
"Media Reliance and Perceptions of a Criminal Defendant," presented as a Top Three Paper to the Communication and Law Division at the national conference of the Speech Communication Association, Atlanta, November 1991
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