Mary Murphy

Mary Murphy is an Associate Professor of Professional Practice of Journalism and Faculty Lead of the Women’s Leadership Society at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She specializes in entertainment, pop culture, political journalism, and social issues reporting, with a focus on homelessness and media industries.

Her career spans award-winning roles as a journalist for major publications such as The Los Angeles Times, New York, TV Guide, and Reader’s Digest International, alongside on-air stints with Entertainment Tonight and The Insider. She currently writes an award-winning blog for TheWrap.com and serves on the Critics Choice Association board.

Her research and teaching emphasize digital media evolution, media industries' societal impact, and political persuasion tactics. Recent articles reflect her expertise in entertainment industry analysis, celebrity culture, and crisis reporting. Notably, she received the 2019 Los Angeles Press Club Best Commentary Runner-Up award for her insightful commentary.

Murphy’s academic contributions include courses on entertainment business dynamics, special assignment reporting, and directed research. She has authored/co-authored books like The New News: The Digital Revolution in Newsrooms (2015) and Blood Cold: Fame, Sex & Murder in Hollywood (2002), with a forthcoming title The United States of Entertainment.