Fred Vultee

Fred Vultee is a Professor in the Department of Communication at Wayne State University, teaching courses including news editing, media ethics and law, and political communication. With 25 years of prior experience as a newspaper editor, he integrates practical industry knowledge into his research on media routines and societal security perceptions.

His academic credentials include:

• PhD in Journalism, University of Missouri (2007)
• MA in Journalism, University of Missouri (2004)
• BA in Radio-TV-Film/Journalism, University of North Carolina (1977)

Dr. Vultee specializes in media framing, investigating how storytelling devices shape audience perceptions across news content and digital platforms. His research spans securitization theory, content analysis methodology, and media ethics, with particular focus on crisis communication, urban decay representation ("ruin porn"), and political discourse dynamics. He examines how journalistic practices evolve amid digital disruption while maintaining ethical standards.

His publication trajectory reveals deepening engagement with digital media effects since 2015, including clickbait mechanisms, social media's role in political polarization, and structural support systems for journalists. Recent works analyze religious coverage in style guides, gender dynamics in political discussions, and visual framing of urban poverty.

Dr. Vultee's scholarship appears in leading journals including Journalism Studies, Media, War & Conflict, and Journal of Media Ethics, alongside monographs like A Media Framing Approach to Securitization (2023).

He actively advises communication students and maintains HeadsUp: The Blog for copy editing discourse. Current teaching includes COM5710 (Law and Ethics) for Fall 2025 and COM2030 (Journalistic Grammar) for Winter 2025.