EDUCATION
Ph.D. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Institute of Communications Research, 1990. Dissertation title: Medicalization in the news media: A comparison of AIDS coverage in three newspapers. Advisor: D. Charles Whitney.
M.A. Purdue University, Department of Communication, 1986.
B.A. Purdue University, Department of Communication, 1983.
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Associate Professor with tenure. Dept. of Film/Video & Media Studies, College of Communications, The Pennsylvania State University, Fall 2004-present. Undergraduate courses taught: Mass Media and Society; Cultural Aspects of the Mass Media; Political Economy of Communications. Graduate course taught: Television Criticism. Affiliate faculty status in the Dept. of Communication Arts and Sciences and the Social Thought Program.
Associate Professor with tenure. Department of Communication, Virginia Tech, Spring 1997-Spring 2004.
Assistant Professor. Department of Communication Studies, Virginia Tech, Fall 1991-Spring 1997. Courses taught: Introduction to Communication Studies, Media Institutions, Advertising Criticism, Television Criticism (undergraduate and graduate levels).
Visiting Assistant Professor. Department of Communication, Denison University, Fall 1990-Spring 1991. Courses taught: Social Impact of the Mass Media, Media Literacy Seminar, Advertising Seminar, Broadcast News Seminar.
Adjunct Faculty Member. Liberal Arts Division, Danville Area Community College, Summers 1989, 1990. Course taught: Oral (Interpersonal) Communication.
Graduate Teaching Assistant. Department of Speech Communication and Institute of Communications Research, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, August 1985-May 1990. Courses taught: The Arts of Public Discourse (Teaching Assistant), Communications and Popular Culture, Verbal Communication.
Graduate Teaching Assistant. Department of Communication, Purdue University, August 1983-May 1985. Courses taught: Mass Communication and Society (Teaching Assistant), Communicative Behavior in Organizations, Reporting for the Mass Media.
RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP (click on selected titles for PDF versions)
Books
McAllister, M. P. (1996). The commercialization of American culture: New advertising, control and democracy. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Hardback and paperback editions.
Edited Books
Turow, J., & McAllister, M. P. (Eds.). (Forthcoming, 2008). The advertising and consumer culture reader. New York: Routledge.
Gordon, I., Jancovich, M, & McAllister, M. P. (Eds.). (2007). Film and comic books. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi.
McAllister, M. P., Sewell, E. H., Jr., & Gordon, I. (Eds.). (2001). Comics and ideology. New York: Peter Lang. Published in the series "Popular Culture and Everyday Life," Series Editor Toby Miller.
Guest-Edited Journals
McAllister, M. P., & Turow, J. (Eds.) (2002). Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Special Issue on "New Media and the Commercial Sphere," 46(4). Shared responsibility for writing and publicizing call for papers, coordinating reviewers, and selecting/editing manuscripts.
McAllister, M. P., & Mazzarella, S. R. (Eds.) (2000). Mass Communication & Society, Special Issue on "Advertising and Consumer Culture," 3(4). Shared responsibility for writing and publicizing call for papers, coordinating reviewers, selecting/editing manuscripts, and inviting a "Milestones" essay from Professor Stuart Ewen.
Journal Articles
McAllister, M. P. (Forthcoming, 2009). Hypercommercialism, televisuality, and the changing nature of college sports sponsorship. American Behavioral Scientist [special issue on “Sport, communication, and the culture of consumption,” edited by Lawrence Wenner].
McAllister, M. P. (2007). ‘Girls with a passion for fashion’: The Bratz brand as integrated spectacular consumption. Journal of Children and Media 1(3), 244-258.
Proffitt, J. M., Tchoi, D. Y., & McAllister, M. P. (2007). Plugging back into The Matrix: The intertextual flow of corporate media commodities. Journal of Communication Inquiry, 31(3), 239-254.
McAllister, M. P., Gordon, I., & Jancovich, M. (2006). Art house meets graphic novel, or blockbuster meets superhero comic?: The contradictory relationship between film and comic art. Journal of Popular Film and Television, 34(3), 108-114.
McAllister, M. P., & Giglio, J. M. (2005). The commodity flow of U.S. children’s television. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 22(1), 26-44.
McAllister, M. P. (2003). Is commercial culture popular culture?: A question for popular communication scholars. Popular Communication, 1(1), 41-49 [invited essay; inaugural issue].
McAllister, M. P., & Turow, J. (2002). New media and the commercial sphere: Two intersecting trends, five categories of concern. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 46(4), 505-514 [introduction to special issue].
McAllister, M. P. (2002). Television news plugola and the last episode of Seinfeld. Journal of Communication, 52(2), 383-401.
McAllister, M. P., & Mazzarella, S. R. (2000). Guest editor’s note: Advertising and consumer culture. Mass Communication & Society, 3(4), 347-350 [introduction to special issue].
McAllister, M. P. (1999). Super Bowl advertising as commercial celebration. The Communication Review, 3(4), 403-428.
McAllister, M. P. (1998). College bowl sponsorship and the increased commercialization of amateur sports. Critical Studies in Mass Communication, 15(4), 357-381.
McAllister, M. P. (1992). Recombinant television genres and Doogie Howser, M.D.. Journal of Popular Film and Television, 20(3), 61-69.
McAllister, M. P. (1992). Comic books and AIDS, Journal of Popular Culture, 26(2), 1-24.
McAllister, M. P. (1990). Cultural argument and organizational constraint in the comic book industry, Journal of Communication, 40(1), 55-71.
Book Chapters
McAllister, M. P., & Proffitt, J. M. (Forthcoming, 2008). Media ownership in a corporate age. In L. Wilkins & C. G. Christians (Eds.), Handbook of mass media ethics. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Gordon, I., Jancovich, M, & McAllister, M. P. (2007). Introduction. In I. Gordon, M. Jancovich, & M. P. McAllister (Eds.), Film and comic books (pp. vii-xvii). Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi.
McAllister, M. P. (2007). Just how commercialized is children’s culture? In S. R. Mazzarella (Ed.), 20 questions about youth and the media (pp. 267-279). New York: Peter Lang.
McAllister, M. P. (2005). Television advertising as textual and economic systems. In J. Wasko (Ed.), A companion to television (pp. 217-237). Oxford, England: Blackwell.
McAllister, M. P. (2003). Selling Survivor: The use of TV news to promote commercial entertainment. In A. N. Valdivia (Ed.), A companion to media studies (pp. 209-226). Oxford, England: Blackwell.
McAllister, M. P., & Kitron, U. (2003). Differences in early print media coverage of AIDS and Lyme Disease. In L. K. Fuller (Ed.), Media-mediated AIDS (pp. 43-62). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press.
McAllister, M. P., Sewell, E. H., Jr., & Gordon, I. (2001). Introducing comics and ideology. In M. P. McAllister, E. H. Sewell, Jr., & I. Gordon, (Eds.), Comics and ideology (pp. 1-13). New York: Peter Lang.
McAllister, M. P. (2001). Ownership concentration in the U.S. comic book industry. In M. P. McAllister, E. H. Sewell, Jr., & I. Gordon, (Eds.), Comics and ideology (pp. 15-38). New York: Peter Lang.
McAllister, M. P. (2000). From flick to flack: The increased emphasis on marketing by media entertainment corporations. In R. Andersen and L. A. Strate (Eds.), Critical studies in media commercialism (pp. 101-122). New York: Oxford University Press.
McAllister, M. P. (1997). Sponsorship, globalization, and the Summer Olympics. In K. T. Frith (Ed.), Undressing the ad: Reading culture in advertising (pp. 35-63). New York: Peter Lang.
McAllister, M. P. (1993). "What did you advertise with the war, Daddy?": Using the Persian Gulf War as a referent system in advertising. In R. E. Denton, Jr. (Ed.), The media and the Persian Gulf War (pp. 213-233). New York: Praeger.
McAllister, M. P. (1992). AIDS, medicalization, and the news media, in T. Edgar, M. A. Fitzpatrick, and V. S. Freimuth (Eds.), AIDS: A communication perspective (pp. 195-221). Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Encyclopedia Entries
McAllister, M. P., & Kahle, S. (Forthcoming, 2009). Comics. In C. H. Sterling (Ed.), Encyclopedia of journalism. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
McAllister, M. P. (2008). Consumer culture. In W. Donsbach (Ed.), The international encyclopedia of communication: Vol. 3 (pp. 954-959). Oxford, England: Wiley-Blackwell.
McAllister, M. P. (2008). Economics of advertising. In W. Donsbach (Ed.), The international encyclopedia of communication: Vol 1 (pp. 56-60). Oxford, England: Wiley-Blackwell.
McAllister, M. P. (2004/1997). The financial interest and syndication rules. In H. Newcomb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of television, (pp. 612-613, first edition; pp. 875-877, second edition). First editor publisher: Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn; Second edition publisher: New York: Taylor & Francis.
McAllister, M. P. (2004/1997). The Simpsons. In H. Newcomb (Ed.), Encyclopedia of television, (pp. 1493-1495, first edition; pp. 2093-2094, second edition). First editor publisher: Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn; Second edition publisher: New York: Taylor & Francis.
Reprints
McAllister, M. P., Gordon, I., & Jancovich, M. (Forthcoming, 2008). Art house meets graphic novel, or blockbuster meets superhero comic?: The contradictory relationship between film and comic art. In B. E. Duffy & J. Turow (Eds.), Key readings in media today: A mass communication reader. New York; Routledge.
McAllister, M. P., & Giglio, J. M. (Forthcoming, 2008). The commodity flow of U.S. children’s television. In J. Turow & M. P. McAllister (Eds.), The advertising and consumer culture reader. New York; Routledge.
McAllister, M. P. (2004). Recombinant television genres and Doogie Howser, M.D. In Vande Berg, L. R., Gronbeck, B. E., & Wenner, L. A. (Eds.), Critical approaches to television (2nd Ed.) (pp. 129-138). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Published Book Reviews
McAllister, M. P. (2008). Review of Benjamin R. Barber, Consumed: How markets corrupt children, infantilize adults, and swallow citizens whole, in Journal of Communication, 58 (1), 193-195.
McAllister, M. P. (2004). Review of C. Edwin Baker, Media, markets, and democracy, in Journal of Communication, 54(1), 185-186.
McAllister, M. P. (2002). Review of Janet Staiger, Blockbuster TV: Must-see sitcoms in the network era, in Film Quarterly, 55(4), 52-53.
McAllister, M. P. (1998). Review of John Thornton Caldwell, Televisuality: Style, crisis, and authority in American television, in Film Quarterly, 51(4), 61 62.
McAllister, M. P. (1996-97). Review of Robin Andersen, Consumer culture & TV programming, in Film Quarterly, 50(2), 51-52.
McAllister, M. P. (1996). Review of Jackson Lears, Fables of abundance: A cultural history of advertising in America, in Journal of Communication, 46(3), 195-197 .
McAllister, M. P. (1996). Re-decoding advertisements. Review essay of Sammy R. Danna, Advertising and popular culture: Studies in variety and versatility; Robert Goldman, Reading ads socially; Marilyn Kern-Foxworth, Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and Rastus: Blacks in advertising; Ivan L. Preston, The tangled web they weave: Truth, falsity, & advertisers; Armand Mattelart, Advertising international: The privatisation of public space, in Journal of Communication, 46(2), 150-157.
McAllister, M. P. (1994). "Book note" review of Marjorie Garber, Jann Matlock and Rebecca L. Walkowitz, Media spectacles, in Film Quarterly, 48(1), 61-62.
McAllister, M. P. (1993). Review of Kenneth MacKinnon, The politics of popular representation: Reagan, Thatcher, AIDS, and the movies, in Film Quarterly, 47(1), 58-59.
McAllister, M. P. (1992). Review of Roberta E. Pearson and William Urrichio (Eds.), The many lives of the Batman: Critical approaches to a superhero and his media, in Journal of Communication, 42(1), 141-144.
Refereed Papers Presented at Professional Meetings
McAllister, M. P. (2008, May). Hypercommercialism, televisuality, and the changing nature of college sports sponsorship. Presented at the International Communication Association, Montreal, Canada.
McAllister, M. P. (2006, August). “Girls With a Passion for Fashion”: The Bratz Brand as Spectacular Consumption. Presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, San Francisco, CA.
McAllister, M. P. (2005, April). Advertising as a funding source for television: Seven effects. Presented at the Eastern Communication Association, Pittsburgh, PA. [Top 3 Paper Award in the Mass Communication Group.]
McAllister, M. P., & Giglio, J. M. (2003, November). The commodity flow of U.S. children’s television. Presented at the meeting of the National Communication Association, Miami, FL.
McAllister, M. P. (2002, November). Selling Survivor: The use of TV news to promote commercial entertainment. Presented at the meeting of the National Communication Association, New Orleans, LA.
McAllister, M. P. (2000, November). Television news plugola and the last episode of Seinfeld. Presented at the meeting of the National Communication Association, Seattle, WA.
McAllister, M. P. (1998, November). From flick to flack: The increased emphasis on marketing by media entertainment corporations. Presented at the meeting of the National Communication Association, New York City, NY.
McAllister, M. P. (1997, November). College bowl sponsorship and the commercialization of amateur sports. Presented at the meeting of the National Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
McAllister, M. P. (1997, May). Sponsorship, globalization, and the Summer Olympics. Presented at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Montreal, Canada.
McAllister, M. P. (1994, November). Comic production and control. Presented at the meeting of the Speech Communication Association, New Orleans, LA.
McAllister, M. P. (1993, November). Place-based advertising as economic and symbolic control. Presented at the meeting of the Speech Communication Association, Miami, FL.
McAllister, M. P. (1993, May). Recombinant television genres and Doogie Howser, M.D.. Presented at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Washington, DC.
McAllister, M. P. (1992, November). "What did you advertise with the war, daddy": Using the Persian Gulf War as a referent system in advertising. Presented at the meeting of the Speech Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
McAllister, M. P. (1989, April). Medicalization in the news media: A theoretical investigation. Presented at the meeting of the Southern States Communication Association, Louisville, KY.
McAllister, M. P. (1989, April). Comic book research: A bibliography and brief history. Presented at the meeting of the Southern States Communication Association, Louisville, KY.
McAllister, M. P. (1989, April). Comic books and AIDS. Presented at the meeting of the Popular Culture Association, St. Louis, MO.
McAllister, M. P. (1987, November). Cultural legitimation, argumentation and industrial factors: The changing nature of the comic book. Presented at the meeting of the Speech Communication Association, Boston, MA.
McAllister, M. P. (1987, May). Medicalization as organizational control. Presented at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Montreal, Canada.
McAllister, M. P. (1986, November). The relationship between Rockefeller philanthropies and mass communication research. Presented at the meeting of the Speech Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
McAllister, M. P., Billingsley, J. M. and Orlando, J. M. (1986, April). Mass media and medicine: A case study investigating the information subsidy model. Presented at the meeting of the Central States Speech Association, Cincinnati, OH.
May, S. K., Hennen, P. and McAllister, M. P. (1984, November). Exploratory relationships between social-interaction attributes and the amount of television viewing. Presented at the meeting of the Speech Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
Papers Presented at Professional Meetings as Part of a Competitively Selected Panel
McAllister, M. P. (2008, August). IMC: Integrated Marketing Culture? To be presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Chicago, IL.
McAllister, M. P. (2007, October). TV programs, parody and product placement. Presented at the Union for Democratic Communication, Vancouver, Canada.
McAllister, M. P. (2007, May). “...And Twins”: Gender ideology in intrusive commercial forms. Presented at the International Communication Association, San Francisco, CA.
McAllister, M. P. (2006, November). Understanding the Dangers of Post-TiVO Programming. Presented at the National Communication Association, San Antonio, Texas.
McAllister, M. P. (2006, June). Flow as a critical concept for modern commercial culture. Presented at the International Communication Association, Dresden, Germany.
McAllister, M. P. (2006, June). Art house meets graphic novel, or blockbuster meets superhero comic?: The contradictory relationship between film and comic art. Presented at the International Communication Association, Dresden, Germany.
McAllister, M. P. (2004, May). From Lard Lad to Butterfinger: Contradictions of The Simpsons in promotional and commercial culture. Presented at the International Communication Association, New Orleans, LA.
McAllister, M.P., & Giglio, J. M. (2003, May). The commercial synergy of the Internet and U.S. children's television. Presented at the International Communication Association, San Diego, CA.
McAllister, M. P. (2002, November). Using video as a teaching tool to critique commercial culture. Presented at the annual meeting of the National Communication Association, New Orleans, LA.
McAllister, M. P. (2002, October). Is commercial culture popular culture?. Presented at the annual meeting of the Union for Democratic Communication, State College, PA.
McAllister, M. P. (2002, September). Global flows of advertising. Presented at "Cultural Diversity for Sale: Global Economies of Art and Entertainment," Roanoke, VA.
McAllister, M. P. (1999, November). The new face of television news plugola. Presented at the meeting of the National Communication Association, Chicago, IL (75-minute "Media Forum" presentation).
McAllister, M. P. (1998, April). The Super Bowl as commercial celebration. Presented at the meeting of the Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV.
McAllister, M. P. (1997, May). Panel participant in Advertising as popular culture: Multi-divisional perspectives. Presented at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Montreal, Canada.
McAllister, M. P. (1997, April). Comics research: A political economy perspective. Presented at the meeting of the Eastern Communication Association, Baltimore, MD.
McAllister, M. P. (1996, November). Sponsorship and the commercialization of sports. Presented at the meeting of the Speech Communication Association, San Diego, CA (75-minute "Media Forum" presentation).
McAllister, M. P. (1995, April). Panel Participant in The funnies and beyond. Presented at the meeting of the Popular Culture Association, Philadelphia, PA.
McAllister, M. P. (1994, November). Unmasking the camouflaged ad on television. Presented at the meeting of the Speech Communication Association, New Orleans, LA (75-minute "Media Forum" presentation).
McAllister, M. P. (1991, May). AIDS, medicalization, and the news media. Presented at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
McAllister, M. P. (1991, May). Unconventional conventionality: How the entertainment industry talks about Twin Peaks. Presented at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
McAllister, M. P., and Kitron, U. (1990, November). Media coverage of AIDS and Lyme Disease: A visual comparison. Presented at the meeting of the Speech Communication Association, Chicago, IL (75-minute "Media Forum" presentation).
McAllister, M. P. (1990, November). Representations of science in the medical domain: AIDS research in American Medical News. Presented at the meeting of the Speech Communication Association, Chicago, IL.
McAllister, M. P. (1988, November). AIDS, medicalized social control and the communication scholar. Presented at the pre-conference seminar of the Speech Communication Association, New Orleans, LA.
McAllister, M. P. (1985, May). The medical education process: The control of physicians through professional identification. Presented at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Honolulu, HI.
Conference Panel Responses
“Branding Experience: Explorations in the Marketization of Cultures and Identities.” (2007, May). Respondent for a panel at the International Communication Association, Popular Communication Division, San Francisco, CA.
“(Trans)forming cultural values in popular music.” (2005, May). Respondent for a panel at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Popular Communication Division, New York City, NY.
“Alternative and Radical Media: Competitive Papers.” (2004, November). Respondent for a panel at the meeting of the National Communication Association, Mass Communication Division, Chicago, IL.
“Aftershock: Processing Crisis in Popular Music.” (2004, May). Respondent for a panel at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Popular Communication Division, New Orleans, LA.
“Competitive Papers on Politics in the Media.” (2003, November). Respondent for a panel at the meeting of the National Communication Association, Mass Communication Division, Miami, FL.
“Television: News, Quality Programming, and Fan Activism.” (2003, May). Respondent for a panel at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Popular Communication Division, San Diego, CA.
“Competitive Papers in the Cultural Production of Identities and the Social Space.” (2002, November). Respondent for panel at the meeting of the National Communication Association, Mass Communication Division, New Orleans, LA.
“Public Radio, Public TV & Globalization.” (2002, September). Co-respondent for panel at "Cultural Diversity for Sale": Global Economies of Art and Entertainment,” Roanoke, VA.
“Advertising Justice: Crossing Cultural Boundaries with the Commodification of Social Justice.” (2000, July). Respondent for panel at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Mass Communication Division, Acapulco, Mexico.
“Competitive Papers in Cultural and Rhetorical Explorations of Popular Communication and Advertising.” (1999, November). Respondent for panel at the meeting of the National Communication Association, Mass Communication Division, Chicago, IL.
“Popular Communication and Social Geography.” (1996, May). Respondent for panel at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Popular Communication Division, Chicago, IL.
“Popular Communication and Film.” (1995, May). Respondent for panel at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Popular Communication Division, Albuquerque, NM.
“Relations of Gender and Generation on Prime-Time Television.” (1993, May). Respondent for panel at the meeting of the International Communication Association, Popular Communication Division, Washington, DC.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Deans’ Award for Excellence in Service, College of Communications, Penn State, Spring 2006.
Students’ Choice Faculty Member of the Year, Virginia Tech Alumni Association, Spring 2004. One of nine faculty members chosen university-wide for the award, based upon student votes.
University Sporn Award for teaching excellence in introductory subjects, Virginia Tech, Spring 2001. One university-wide award given each year, chosen from student nominations.
Member, Academy of Teaching Excellence, Virginia Tech, Spring 2001-Spring 2004.
Outstanding Academic Book of 1996 designation for The commercialization of American culture, Choice, January 1997. One of eight communication books published in 1996 so designated by Choice, the academic book review journal.
Certificate of Teaching Excellence Award from the College of Arts and Sciences, Virginia Tech, January 1995. Eight CTEs awarded annually to faculty members in Arts and Sciences, Virginia Tech's largest college.
Advisor of the Year, Virginia Tech University Student Leadership Awards, April 1994. For work as Faculty Advisor for WUVT-AM and FM, the student radio stations. Selected among eight university-wide nominees.
Cited for teaching excellence for Communications 220 (Communications and Popular Culture), University of Illinois, Fall 1987, awarded April 1988.
Membership in Kappa Tau Alpha, National Communications Honorary, University of Illinois, April 1988.
Cited for teaching excellence for Speech Communication 112 (Verbal Communication II), University of Illinois, Fall 1986, awarded April 1987.
National Science Foundation Fellow, Purdue University, August 1983-May 1984.
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PUBLIC SERVICE
Professional Service
Editorial Board, Critical Studies in Media Communication, Spring 2008-present.
Editorial Board, Popular Communication, Spring 2002-present.
Editorial Board, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Winter 2001-present.
Editorial Board, International Journal of Comic Art, Spring/Summer 1999-present.
Book Review Editor, Popular Communication, Spring 2002-Spring 2007.
Editorial Board, Journal of Communication, Winter 2000-Winter 2005.
Editorial Board, Critical Studies in Mass Communication, Spring 1996-Winter 1998.
Member, "Best Book" Award Committee, International Communication Association, Spring 2004. Recipient selected from twenty books evaluated by a five-person committee.
Member, Board of Directors, International Communication Association, Summer 1998-Summer 2000.
Chair, Popular Communication Division, International Communication Association, Summer 1998-Summer 2000. Two-year term. Responsible for Division program planning for the annual conference, representing the Division to ICA, running annual business meetings, and planning future initiatives.
Vice-Chair, Popular Communication Division, International Communication Association, Fall 1996-Summer 1998. Responsible for recruiting new members, and developing/maintaining the Division's web site (http://www.comm.vt.edu/icapopcomm/). The group achieved Divisional status in Summer 1997.
Secretary, Popular Communication Interest Group, International Communication Association, Fall 1994-Fall 1996. Responsible for editing and mailing a 6-10 page three-times-a-year newsletter for the 200+ PopComm membership, assessing attendance at panels, and taking minutes of annual meetings.
Reviewer of submitted journal articles, 1990-present. Manuscripts reviewed for the following journals: Asian Journal of Communication, The Communication Review, Communication Law and Policy, Communication Theory, Communication Yearbook #24, Critical Studies in Mass Communication, Diplomatic History, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, Journal of Children and Media, Journal of Communication, International Journal on Media Management, Journal of Language and Social Psychology, Mass Communication & Society, New Media & Society, Popular Communication, Proteus (special issue on AIDS and media), Sex Roles, and Virginia Journal of Communication.
Textbook Reviewer, Spring 1992-present. Reviewed textbooks for several publishers, including Introduction to communication texts, Wadsworth and Mayfield Publishing; a News and society text, Sage Publications; a Communication methods text, Mayfield Publishing Company; and a Media and society text, Longman Publishing.
Reviewer of conference manuscripts for scholarly organizations, 1992-present. Over 100 manuscripts and panel proposals reviewed for the Popular Communication and Philosophy of Communication Divisions of the International Communication Association and the Mass Communication Division of the National Communication Association.
Reviewer of pre-publication scholarly manuscripts/proposals for publishers, 1995-present. Manuscripts/proposals reviewed for Blackwell, Lawrence Erlbaum, Haworth, Northwestern University Press, Routledge, Rowman & Littlefield, and University of Illinois Press.
Promotion and tenure reviewer, 1994-present. Fourteen external reviews for faculty at a variety of colleges and universities.
Panel Chair, Annual Convention of the International Communication Association, 1995, 1997, 2000.
University- and College-Level Service
At Penn State
Member, College-level Promotion and Tenure Committee, Fall 2006-present.
Member, Graduate Committee, College of Communications, Fall 2005-Spring 2006; Fall 2007-Spring 2008.
Member, Faculty Senate, Fall 2005-Spring 2006. Also served on the Committee on Faculty Affairs, and the Subcommittee on Promotion and Tenure.
Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Student Rating of Teaching Effectiveness, College of Communications, Spring 2006.
At Virginia Tech
Member, University Graduate Curriculum Committee, Fall 2002-Spring 2004.
Chair, Computer Privacy Task Force, Fall 2002-Spring 2004. Charged by the VT Faculty and Staff Senates to (1) Explore issues about Faculty and Staff rights concerning information on their computers at the workplace, and (2) Recommend policies.
Member, University Honorifics Committee, Spring 2001-Spring 2004. Responsible for evaluating nominations of faculty for certain external and internal awards/recognitions and for evaluating nominations for honorary degrees to be granted by the university.
Member, University Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching Selection Committee, Spring 2002-Spring 2004.
Faculty Advisor, WUVT-AM and FM, the Virginia Tech student radio stations, Spring 1993-Spring 2004.
Board Member, the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech (originally named the Student Media Board), Spring 1993-Spring 2004. EMCVT is made up of the General Managers, Business Managers, and Faculty Advisors of the six major student media organizations on campus.
Member, Search Committee for the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Spring 2003.
Member, Program Advisory Committee, “Choices and Challenges” forum on “Big Brother Technologies,” Spring 2002-Spring 2003.
Member, College of Human Sciences and Education Graduate Curriculum Committee, Fall 2002-Spring 2003.Chair, Search Committee, General Manager Position of EMCVT, Fall 1999. Responsible for planning, coordinating and implementing national search for the sole full-time paid employee of the independent student media corporation.
Member, Virginia Tech University Student Leadership Awards Committee, Spring 1995. Committee was responsible for selecting University-wide Advisor of the Year and Student Organization of the Year awards.
Member, Search Committee, Virginia Tech Coordinator of Student Organizations/Student Media, Spring 1993.
Department Service
At Penn State, Department of Film/Video & Media Studies
Chair, Pockrass Memorial Lecture Series Committee, Dept. of Film/Video & Media Studies, Spring 2007-present.
Chair, Search Committee, Critical-Cultural Media Studies Faculty Position, Fall 2006-Spring 2007.
Promotion and Tenure Committee, Fall 2004-Spring 2006. Chair, Fall 2005-Spring 2006. Committee responsible for data collection and evaluation of all 2nd, 4th and 6th year tenure-track faculty in the College of Communications.
Media Studies Undergraduate Curriculum Task Force, Spring 2005, 2006.
Search Committee, International Communications Faculty Position, Spring 2005.
At Virginia Tech, Department of Communication
Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Communication, Spring 2001-Spring 2004. Responsible for chairing the Graduate Committee; coordinating the development and publicity of the program, evaluation and admission of new students; advising first-year graduate students.
Member, Department of Communication Studies Graduate Committee, Spring 1993-Fall 1993; Fall 1996-Spring 1998; Spring 2001-Spring 2004.
Member, Department of Communication Studies Personnel Committee, Fall 1993-Spring 2002 (Chair, Spring 1997-Spring 1998).
Member, Department of Communication Studies Curriculum Committee, Fall 1993-Spring 1997.
Chair, Department of Communication Studies Student Organization Executive Committee, Spring 1995-Spring 1997.
Coordinator, Department of Communication Studies Student Events, Fall 1993-Fall 1997. Responsible for coordinating Fall student picnic, Winter Holiday Reception, Senior Awards Reception, and Graduation.
Coordinator, Department of Communication Studies Orientation Sessions for Incoming First-year and Transfer Students, Summer 1996, Summer 1997.
Member, Department of Communication Studies Search Committee for position in Broadcasting, Spring 1992.
Teaching Activities and Service
At Penn State
Course Director, Comm 100, Spring 2006-Spring 2008.
Guest lecture on “Large-Lecture Teaching” to Comm 502 (Pedagogy in Communications), Professor Anthony Olorunnisola, March 26, 2007.
Member, Student Learning Assessment for Media Studies, Fall 2005 (Chair, Fall 2007).
At Virginia Tech
Chair, Academy of Teaching Excellence, Virginia Tech, Spring 2003-Spring 2004. Secretary-Treasurer, Spring 2002-Spring 2003; Member since Spring 2001. Chair is responsible for planning Fall and Spring meetings; updating website; communicating with various university-level teaching awards committees; exploring teaching initiatives; and chairing the Alumni Teaching Award (see below).
Member, Selection Committee for the Alumni Teaching Award, Spring 2002-Spring 2004 (Chair, Fall 2003-Spring 2004). Composed of university-level teaching award winners from every college, this committee selects two Alumni winners from among college-level Certificate of Teaching Excellence winners from the previous three years.
Panelist, “Communicating to support learning in large classes,” Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Spring 2004.
Peer Teaching Reviewer, Virginia Tech, Fall 1993-Spring 2004. Conducted in-depth reviews of 10 tenure-track and non-tenure track teaching faculty. Process included attending several class meetings, evaluating instructional materials, discussing teaching philosophy, and writing a detailed review.
Faculty Advisor, University Sporn Award for Excellence in Introductory Subjects Selection Committee, Fall 2001-Spring 2003.
Guest-lecturer, “Large-lecture teaching,” to EDCI 5774, “Preparation for Teaching,” Spring 2003. Corrdinated by Dr. Sue Magliaro in the Department of Teaching and Learning, this course is designed for graduate students across different departments to discuss teaching strategies and philosophy.
Panelist, “Award-winning teachers on their favorite teaching methods.” Part of the New Faculty Mentoring Breakfasts for the College of Human Sciences and Education, November 2002.
Interviewed for and paraphrased about teaching strategies in Murray, M. D. (2003). Introduction to Mass Communication. In R. L. Moore & M. D. Murray (Eds.), Mass Communication Education (pp. 17-34). Iowa State University Press.
Participant, Virginia Tech Faculty Development Initiative concerning new technologies and teaching, Summers 1993, 1998. Learned about computer-enhanced classroom presentations, digital videography, and interactive networking possibilities for teaching.
Academic Advising ActivitiesUndergraduate
Academic Advisor for approximately 15 undergraduate majors each semester, Penn State (Fall 2004-present).
Academic Advisor for approximately 50 undergraduate majors each semester, Virginia Tech (Fall 1992-Spring 2004).
Graduate
Chair (At Penn State)
Miranda Brady (Ph.D., Communication), December 2007 graduate (Co-chair with Jeremy Packer).
3 Ph.D. students, in-progress.
2 M.A. students, in-progress.
Chair (At Virginia Tech)
Colleen C. Mihal (M.A., Communication, thesis option), Summer 2004 graduate.
J. Matt Giglio (M.A., Communication, non-thesis option), Spring 2003 graduate.
Committee Member (At Penn State)
9 Ph.D. student committees, in-progress.
2 Ph.D. student committees, completed.
2 M.A. student committee, in-progress.
4 M.A. student committees, completed.
Committee Member (At Virginia Tech)
1 Ph.D. student committee, completed;
4 M.A. student committees, completed.
Invited Lectures and Presentations
“’Girls With a Passion for Fashion’: The Bratz Brand as Spectacular Consumption,” The Mary Junck Research Colloquium Series, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, University of North Carolina, March 6, 2008; and Noon-Time Colloquium, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, March 27, 2008.
“From Lard Lad to Butterfinger: Cultural Contradictions of The Simpsons in Commercial Culture,” Department of Communication Studies Public Lecture Series, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, April 24, 2006.
“Media conglomerate ownership,” for Communication Studies 101, “Introduction to Communication Studies,” Professor Chris Russill, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, April 24, 2006.
“The commodity flow of U.S. children’s television,” Department of Communication Arts and Sciences Colloquium Series, Penn State, October 29, 2004.
“Data collection and databases,” for the “Choices and Challenges” public forum on “Big Brother Technologies,” Virginia Tech, Spring 2003.
“Issues surrounding news coverage of September 11 and its aftermath,” for the “Hot Topic Discussion” series, Center for Public Administration and Policy, Virginia Tech, Fall 2001.
"Democracy in the New Communication Future -- Two Paths," for a panel on "The Future of Communications" organized by the Office of the President at Virginia Tech for executives at the Roanoke Times, Spring 2001.
"From flick to flack: The increased emphasis on marketing by media entertainment corporations" for Roy H. Park School of Communications, Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York, Fall 1997.
"The growth of mega-media conglomerates," for Sociology 2004, Social Organization and Social Problems, Professor Toni Calasanti, Fall 1995, 1996, 1997; and Sociology 3304, Collective Action, Professor Rachel Parker-Gwin, Virginia Tech, Fall 1995.
"The commercialization of American culture," for the Blacksburg Unitarian Church, Summer 1996; and Media Studies 334, Advertising Analysis, Professor Bernard Timberg, Radford University, Radford, Virginia, Spring 1996.
"Surviving the large lecture course," two talks given to students in Lee and Ambler Johnston Residence Halls, Virginia Tech, Fall 1995.
"Advertising and war," for Media Studies 334, Advertising Analysis, Professor Bernard Timberg, Radford University, Radford, Virginia, Spring 1994.
"Environmental issues and the news media," for the Worldwatch Environmental Seminar, Virginia Tech, Fall 1992.
"A brief history of advertising," for the New River Valley Chapter of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, Blacksburg, Virginia, Summer 1992.
"The role of the mass media in American politics," for a seminar to Dutch Officials, Center for Public Administration and Policy, Virginia Tech, Fall 1991.
Op-Ed Newspaper Writing
McAllister, M. P. (2002, September 17). Selling students; The dangers of the sponsored classroom. The Collegiate Times [the student-run newspaper at Virginia Tech], p. 5.
McAllister, M. P. (2000, August 6). The selling of "Survivor." The Roanoke Times, pp. Horizon1, 5.
McAllister, M. P. (2000, January 23). AOL-Time Warner union poses social dangers ... shrinking the marketplace of ideas. The Roanoke Times, p. METRO3.
Select Media Interviews
Luscombe, R. (2007, July 8). Doh! Its the battle of the Springfields: Official Simpsons home could finally be chosen. The Observer (London), p. 35 (quoted about the setting of The Simpsons).
Jayson, S. (2007, January 16). Bashes for little darlings get bigger and bigger. USA Today, p. 7D (quoted about pressures on children to consume).
Here on Earth. (2006, July 19). Interviewed during live hour-long Wisconsin Public Radio regional program about the cultural implications of The Simpsons (one of three guests).
Robinson, J., & Harris, P. (2006, June 18). Murdoch: An emperor leading a revolution,. The Observer (London), p. 10 (quoted about American views of News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch).
Blue Ridge Live. (2004, May 7). Politics in comics and editorial cartoons. (One of two panelists on one-hour live television talk program, airing on WBRA-TV, Blue Ridge Public Television, Roanoke, VA).
American Morning. (2004, April 23). CNN (quoted in story about the comic strip Doonesbury and its Iraq war storyline; reaired throughout the day on CNN Headline News).
Goodale, G. (2004, April 23). Goodbye old ‘Friends,’ goodbye sitcoms. Christian Science Monitor, p. 13 (quoted about future of television situation comedies and reality-based programs).
Gillies, J. S. (2003, December 28). Back to Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. The Washington Post, TV Week, p. Y06 (quoted about how the TV program Mr. Rogers Neighborhood compared to other children’s programming)Margolis, L. (2003, August 8). Sellout or smart marketing. Christian Science Monitor, p. 19 [quoted about cross-promotional marketing campaigns]
With Good Reason. (2003, June 28-July 4). Interviewed during 15-minute segment on "Super-sizing the media," on this public radio program that is distributed throughout stations in Virginia.
Owen, R. (2003, May 25). Big 3 of Cable News compete in a niche market. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, p. G3 (quoted about branding and ideological slant of the cable news networks, especially Fox News).
Profiled in Baumgartner, D. (2003, May 13). Making sense of the media’s messages. The Roanoke Times (New River Valley Current insert), pp. 1, 6.
Quoted in various outlets about media coverage of the 2003 Iraq war, including interviews on southwestern Virginia radio stations WFIR (March 21) and WVTF (March 31) and Bothum, P. (March 29). Sorting through‘Reality TV War.’ York (PA) Daily Record.
Talk of the Nation. (2003, February 13). Interviewed during live National Public Radio program about the cultural implications of The Simpsons.
Mowatt, R. V. (2002, August 16). Improved `He-Man' series heads to Cartoon Network. Chicago Tribune, p. C4 (quoted about the recycling of children’s television programs).
KUOW-FM, Public Radio, Seattle. (2002, March 3). Live 5-minute interview on The Conversation, a call-in radio show, about the possibility of David Letterman replacing Nightline on ABC.
WBRA-TV. (2002, January 14/21). Media coverage of September 11 and its aftermath. At Issue (Panelist on two installments of this public affairs program on Blue Ridge Public Television).
Stanton, S. "Ads Proliferate -- Ad Nauseam?" The Sacramento Bee, May 31, 1999, p. A1 (quoted about the increased commercialization in society).
Cimons, M. "Some See Internet Coming of Age During Clinton Troubles," The Los Angeles Times, February 2, 1998, p. A5 (quoted about maturity of the Internet as a form of communication).
Storm, J. & Seplow, S. "Selling More than just Products," The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 5, 1997, pp. A1, A26-27 (quoted about the blurring of TV commercials into TV program content).
Maurstad, T. "Levi's Commercials Sell Soft and Cool." The Dallas Morning News, October 19, 1997, p. 7C (quoted about latest Levi's ad campaign). Reprinted in The Arizona Republic, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and The San Diego Union-Tribune.
WVTF-FM radio, Roanoke, VA, 60-minute live interview on the commercialization of American culture, July 8, 1997.
Schnabel, M., "Companies Spending Big on the Net," The Roanoke Times, August 18, 1996, pp. Business1, 3 (quoted about advertising on the Internet).
KVMR-FM radio, Sacramento, CA, 30-minute live interview on the commercialization of American culture, May 6, 1996.
Kahn, H., "Advertisers seek new places to surprise consumers," The Charleston Gazette, March 26, 1996, p. 7D (quoted about "place-based" advertising found in such places as schools and airports).
Maurstad, T., "What's the big deal about small talk; movies make it look -- and sound -- easy," The Dallas Morning News, December 9, 1995, p. C1 (quoted about the use of conversation in film). Reprinted in The Des Moines Register and The St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Gallagher, F. J., "Bandwidth in radio gets tighter," The Roanoke Times, July 23, 1995, pp. F1, F3 (quoted about concentrated ownership in media).
Bunce, A., "National Geographic specials migrate back to network TV," Christian Science Monitor, January 20, 1995, p. 13 (quoted about the effect of a PBS program going to a commercial network).
Toner, N., "Different views," The Press of Atlantic City, January 8, 1995, pp. C1, C2 (quoted about how cable television may fragment society).
Keveney, B., "Before evolution, they were 'Quiz Shows,'" The Hartford Courant, September 23, 1994, p. E1 (quoted about changes in game shows since the 1950s quiz show scandals). Reprinted in several newspapers, including The Los Angeles Times, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and The Baltimore Sun.
Rohde, D., "Affiliate reshuffling reflects TV networks' new strength," Christian Science Monitor, July 28, 1994, p. 1 (quoted about trends in network television).
KRLD radio, Dallas, TX; KSDO radio, San Diego, CA; and WKBK radio, Keene, NH, live interviews about the 1994 Oscar telecast, March, 1994.
KIRO-FM/AM radio, Seattle, Washington, live 10-minute interview about the 1993 Oscars and its effect on TV, March 28, 1993.
WJJD-AM radio, Chicago, IL and KRLD-AM radio, Dallas TX, live interviews about the 1992 Fall Television Season, September, 1992.
Wood, D. B., "Emmy show hints at TV trends," Christian Science Monitor, September 3, 1992, p. 14 (quoted about trends in the Emmy Awards).