Top media commentator, educator joins Massey

Top media commentator, educator joins Massey

Leading news media commentator and journalism educator Jim Tully has joined Massey University.

After spending 18 years practising journalism and 25 years teaching it, he has been appointed Researcher in Residence at Massey’s School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing in Wellington.

Associate Professor Tully says he is looking forward to contributing to Massey’s communication and journalism programmes, including guest lecturing. He is also planning to do plenty of research.

“I am working on the biography of a friend who is thought to be New Zealand's longest survivor of a spinal break from rugby, a chapter on media ethics for a journalism textbook, and plan to study aspects of news selection at TVNZ and TV3.”

Before joining Canterbury University’s journalism programme in 1987, he served in daily newspapers and was the inaugural New Zealand Journalist of the Year at the then Qantas Media Awards. He then went on to hold senior positions in the industry, including editorial manager and assistant editor of the Auckland Star and editor of the 8 O’Clock weekend newspaper.

More recently, he edited an edition of the textbook Intro: a beginner’s guide to professional news journalism, commissioned by the NZ Journalists’ Training Organisation.

He received Canterbury University’s Teaching Award in 2007 and, in 2011, the Print Industry Award for Outstanding Achievement at the national Canon Media Awards. On his retirement in 2012, he was Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Arts, and Head of the School of Social and Political Sciences, and continues to supervise postgraduate students. He also continues as Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Social and Political Sciences.

Massey’s head of journalism, Dr Grant Hannis, says he warmly welcomes Associate Professor Tully to the school.

“Our staff and students will benefit greatly from having someone of Jim’s experience and knowledge at Massey.”

Associate Professor Tully and his wife Dr Liz Tully - Associate Director Professional and Continued Education (PaCE) at Massey - relocated to Wellington to be close to their grandson and family.

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