Karen McIntyre, Ph.D.

Dr. McIntyre is an associate professor of multimedia journalism and director of graduate studies at the Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture at Virginia Commonwealth University.

As a scholar, her international and interdisciplinary research focuses on journalism processes and effects. More specifically, she studies socially responsible forms of journalism, such as constructive journalism and solutions journalism. She also studies press freedom and journalism practice in East Africa and served as a Fulbright scholar in Rwanda during the 2018-19 academic year.

As an educator, she teaches undergraduate and graduate journalism classes including Journalism Writing, Multiplatform Storytelling, Media Law and Ethics, and Solutions Journalism.

As a journalist, she has experience as a reporter, writer, copy editor, website designer and developer, producer, photographer and videographer with an understanding of social media and interactive graphics.

Recent Awards

2023 Best article for the Summer 2023 issue, Newspaper Research Journal
2023 Best Paper Award, African Journalism Studies journal, AEJMC annual meeting
2023 First place, Robert L. Stevenson Open Paper Competition, International Communication Division, AEJMC annual meeting
2023 Top Faculty Extended Abstract Award, Scholastic Journalism Division, AEJMC annual meeting
2022 First place, Robert L. Stevenson Open Paper Competition, International Communication Division, AEJMC annual meeting
2022 Best Paper Award, African Journalism Studies journal, AEJMC annual meeting
2021 Hillier Krieghbaum Under-40 Award, AEJMC – “one of the highest honors that AEJMC can bestow on a member”
2020 Finalist for the Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 2020 Outstanding Research Article Award
2020 Nominated by VCU for the SCHEV Rising Star Award; VCU only nominates one person for this state-level award by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
2020. Best Paper Award, African Journalism Studies journal, AEJMC annual meeting
2020 Best Paper Relating to Africa Award, Global Communication and Social Change Division, ICA annual meeting

Affiliations

Recent Press

How Solutions Journalism Is Sparking Change. Reasons to be Cheerful. 12/15/2023
Should news outlets show graphic images of mass shooting victims? Researchers and other experts weigh in. The Journalist’s Resource, Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School, 6/28/2022
How journalism can empower and engage audiences without making them feel depressed, VCU News, 5/18/2021
Inspire Indeed: Choppin’ It Up Geek, WRIR 97.3FM, 11/17/2020
The J Word: Episode 1. A Podcast by Journalism Practice, Solution Journalism and Participation, 7/13/2020
Exploring constructive journalism with Karen McIntyre. Demystifying Media Podcast at the University of Oregon, 5/14/2020
How to be intentional about consuming coronavirus news, Greater Good Magazine, 3/30/2020