Martin Kaplan

**Roles & Affiliations:**
Research Professor of Communication and Journalism at USC Annenberg; Norman Lear Chair in Entertainment, Media and Society; Director of the Norman Lear Center since 2000. Previously served as Associate Dean of USC Annenberg (1997–2007).

**Education:**
PhD in Modern Thought and Literature (Stanford University), MA in English (Cambridge University as a Marshall Scholar), BA summa cum laude in Molecular Biology (Harvard University). Former Harvard Lampoon President.

**Research Focus:**
Explores media’s societal impact, including campaign coverage, public health messaging in entertainment, science communication via narrative, and the attention economy’s democratic effects. Leads the Norman Lear Center, studying media’s role in shaping culture and society.

**Key Contributions:**
Authored/co-authored works like *Warners’ War: Politics, Pop Culture & Propaganda in Wartime Hollywood* (2004) and *What Is An Educated Person?* (1980). Coined concepts like “Informed Citizen Disorder” to critique media-driven apathy.

**Awards:**
Received six first-place journalism awards from the Los Angeles Press Club (2012–2017) for columnwriting. Recognized for media commentary on *All Things Considered*, *Marketplace*, and Air America Radio’s *So What Else Is News?*

**Career Highlights:**
Former speechwriter for Vice President Walter Mondale, Disney Studios VP/producer (12 years), and screenwriter for films like *The Distinguished Gentleman* (Eddie Murphy).

**Current Projects:**
Led the Grand Avenue Civic Park digital civic initiative, blending technology and public engagement. Regularly critiques media’s role in politics and democracy on platforms like *Moyers & Company*.