Gwyneth Mellinger

Gwyneth Mellinger is the Ruth D. Bridgeforth Professor of Telecommunications at James Madison University's School of Media Arts and Design (SMAD). A former journalist with experience at the Topeka Capital-Journal, Lawrence Journal-World, and Emporia Gazette, she specializes in media ethics, journalism history, and the intersection of media with democracy and racial equity. Her research explores how media institutions balance societal obligations with historical inequities.

Education:

• Ph.D. University of Kansas
• M.S. University of Kansas
• M.A. Emporia State University
• B.A. Mills College

Research Interests:
Her work analyzes media's role in perpetuating or challenging systemic racism, focusing on newsroom diversity initiatives from the Jim Crow era to affirmative action. She authored Chasing Newsroom Diversity: From Jim Crow to Affirmative Action (2013), recognized with the Frank Luther Mott Kappa Tau Alpha Award. Recent projects include studies on southern press history and media ethics in the 20th century.

Awards:

• Frank Luther Mott Kappa Tau Alpha Award (2013)
• Ronald T. and Gayla D. Farrar Award in Media & Civil Rights History (2019)

Teaching:
She teaches courses like Media Ethics (SMAD 471), Media Literacy (SMAD 150), and Introduction to Media Arts & Design (SMAD 101). Her scholarship emphasizes democratic values in journalism and the historical evolution of press standards.