John Larson

John Larson is the 2011 James H. Ottaway Sr. Professor of Journalism at SUNY New Paltz. A Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist, he has held prominent roles at PBS, NBC News, and Dateline NBC. His investigations into racial profiling, the insurance industry, and Hurricane Katrina's aftermath earned widespread acclaim. Larson also consults for the E.W. Scripps Company, trains journalists, and speaks at institutions like the Poynter Institute.

Education:

• Bachelor's in Philosophy and Religion from Colgate University

Research & Journalism Focus: Larson specializes in investigative journalism, media ethics, and digital journalism innovation. He co-authored the textbook Television Field Production and Reporting, widely used in college curricula. His work often bridges traditional broadcast techniques with emerging digital storytelling methods.

Award Highlights:

• 2010 DuPont-Columbia & Peabody Awards for exposing Mexican drug cartels and illegal pot farming
• National Emmys for 'Houston Floods' (Breaking News) and 'Probable Cause' (Investigative Journalism)

Advising & Grants: Larson mentors over 400 journalists through Scripps Company training programs. His grants include support for digital journalism initiatives and media ethics research.

Labs/Teams: He contributes to PBS's World Focus, Need to Know, and Southern California Connected, and collaborates with the Committee of Concerned Journalists via Harvard's Nieman Foundation.