An MTSU journalism professor will assess media coverage of racial tensions in Ferguson, Missouri, on a Nashville television program.

Dr. Larry Burriss

Dr. Larry Burriss will appear on “MorningLine” from 8 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27, on NewsChannel5+.

Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis, has been beset by unrest since the Aug. 9 shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old African-American, by a white police officer. The incident has sparked more national conversation about the treatment of young black men by law enforcement authorities.

A CBS/New York Times poll shows that 68 percent of white Americans said they did not have enough information to determine whether the shooting of Brown was justified. However, the same survey showed 57 percent of black Americans believe the shooting was unjustified.

Burriss teaches introductory and media law courses to undergraduates. At the graduate level, he teaches quantitative research methods and media law.

A veteran of print, broadcasting and public relations, Burriss is a past director of the School of Journalism and former president of the MTSU Faculty Senate.

He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from The Ohio State University, a master’s degree in human relations from the University of Oklahoma, a doctorate in journalism from Ohio University and a law degree from Concord Law School.

You can watch the program live locally on Comcast/Xfinity Channel 250 or live online at the station’s website, www.jrn.com/newschannel5/watch-live/plus.

If you miss the live broadcast, NewsChannel5+ also archives “MorningLine” programs at www.jrn.com/newschannel5/plus/morningline.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)