MTSU faculty experts provided their views on topics including concert promotion, children’s literature, dystopian movies, media coverage of COVID-19, tournament cancellations and more for national media outlets recently.

Chris Massaro

Dr. Ben Stickle

• Chris Massaro, athletics director, explained how MTSU teams are responding to the coronavirus pandemic in a March 6 story in The Tennessean. His comments can be accessed here.

• Dr. Ben Stickle, an associate professor of criminal justice administration, was interviewed about his research into “porch piracy” for a March 12 podcast on the Post and Parcel website. The audio is available here.

Dr. Larry Burriss

Dr. Richard Barnet

• Dr. Larry Burriss, a professor of journalism, warned media consumers to be wary of misinformation about the coronavirus in a March 12 story aired on WMOT-FM. His comments are available here.

• Richard Barnet, a professor of recording industry, explained how promoters decide whether to cancel concerts due to public health issues in a March 13 story in The Tennessean. His views can be read here.

Dr. Lucy Matthews

Dr. Jennifer Kates

• Dr. Lucy Matthews, an assistant professor of marketing, and Dr. Jennifer Kates, a master instructor in the Department of English, explained how they are adapting to changes in university instruction due to the COVID-19 outbreak in a March 13 story in the Daily News Journal and The Tennessean. Their comments can be accessed here.

Ken Paulson

• Ken Paulson, director of the Free Speech Center, wrote an editorial on how information and misinformation about the coronavirus are being disseminated for the March 16 edition of The Tennessean. His views are available here.

Paulson also expressed concerns about limitations some municipalities are putting on religious groups because of the coronavirus in a March 21 article at www.creators.com. The story can be accessed here.

Rodrigo Gomez

Diane Turnham

• Rodrigo Gomez, an assistant professor of animation, was interviewed about his children’s book “Milly and Roots: The Headscarf” for a March 16 article in Renderosity Magazine. The interview can be read here.

• Diane Turnham, senior associate athletics director, recalled the decision to cancel the NCAA Women’s College Basketball Tournament because of COVID-19 in a March 18 story in the Marion (Ohio) Star, the Daily News Journal and numerous other newspapers. Her comments are available here.

Dr. Katie Foss

James Wicks

• Dr. Katie Foss, a professor in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media, commented on the public’s attraction to dystopian movies that show reactions to epidemics or other mass crises in a March 21 story at www.salon.com. Her views can be accessed here.

• James Wicks, an academic adviser in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, penned an article on continuing advising activities while maintaining social distancing that was published March 23 by Inside Higher Ed. His perspectives can be read here.

Dr. Daniel Smith

Dr. John Vile

• Dr. Daniel Smith, an associate professor of economics and director of the Political Economy Research Institute, discussed the COVID-19 outbreak’s impact on the economy on “Midday Mobile” on WAVH-FM in Mobile, Alabama. The podcast of the March 25 discussion is available here. The conversation with Smith begins at about 10:30 into the audio.

Smith also discussed COVID-19’s impact on the economy on the March 26 edition of “Open Line” on NewsChannel5+. The video can be viewed here.

• Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and political scientist, talked about the COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress and how COVID-19 will affect the upcoming presidential election on the March 26 edition of “MorningLine” on NewsChannel5+. The video is available here.

Reporters seeking expertise from MTSU personnel, as well as members of the campus community with expertise for media, may contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Media Relations at 615-898-5081 or via email at gina.logue@mtsu.edu.