Quoted: Week of April 10, 2017

“Quoted” gathers a selection of the week’s news stories featuring and written by USC Annenberg’s leadership, faculty, staff and others.

Follow #ASCJQuoted on Twitter for updates.


The Los Angeles Times published a Q&A with Willow Bay, director of the School of Journalism and soon-to-be dean of USC Annenberg. Patt Morrison asked Bay about the current state and future of journalism, and the importance of a journalism degree.

Bay said: “It’s clear that the rule book has been thrown out. It’s clear that business models in legacy media are challenged, if not disrupted entirely. It’s also clear that we have, with the birth of new mass media, mainly social media, opportunities to tell stories in different ways and to reach audiences, new audiences, in different ways. So it’s a time of great opportunity, great uncertainty and deep concern all at once.”

She also referenced a new project, the product of a partnership between USC Annenberg and USC Viterbi. Led by Professor Gabriel Kahn, "Crosstown Traffic," examines traffic data for Los Angeles.

Audio version here.  The LA Observed also noted the LA Times interview.

The Los Angeles Business Journal also published a Q&A in a one-page feature of Bay and her upcoming new role as USC Annenberg dean. Managing Editor Omar Shamout asked Bay about the significance of being the school’s first female dean.

Bay said, "It’s so interesting to me because this is a university where opportunities for women are tremendous. It was certainly just a matter of time, and I was the lucky person who was able to officially break that barrier." The interview also focused on Bay's views and expectations for the evolving news industry.

Wired and The Hollywood Reporter also noted Bay's appointment as dean.


Additional coverage of Crosstown Traffic was carried by KCRW-FM and mentioned that the project revealed that traffic accidents in LA occurred at twice the national rate of all hours of the day. The University Herald also covered the project. 


Kahn was also quoted by The Los Angeles Times in a story about LA billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong's recent efforts to buy the Times' parent company, Tronc.


Clayton Dube of USC Annenberg's U.S.-China Institute was quoted by Voice of America about the image China would like to portray to American society and how openness may lead to better understanding of the Chinese culture.

The Press-Enterprise quoted Dube about the importance of America and China's relationship.

On KPCC’s Take Two, Dube was interviewed about the upcoming Trump-Xi summit. Dube noted the importance of the US-China relationship to the Southern California economy, highlighting trade through regional ports and Chinese investment in the region. (Segment starts at 8:13.)

The Los Angeles Daily News talked to Dube about how the Trump-Xi summit affects Southern California. Dube noted the importance of the U.S.-China relationship, saying that it was vital to “get it right,” that we need to “find common ground.” The article was also published by the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

KCRW’s Press Play Press featured Dube talking about the EB-5 investor visa program. Dube noted that the program, which permits foreigners to earn a path to U.S. citizenship by investing in businesses or projects that create jobs, has been especially attractive to Chinese who are eager to establish an American base for their families.

Dube was quoted by the US China Press about the upcoming Xi-Trump summit in Florida. He noted that it was a good opportunity for Xi and Trump to get to know each other a bit and to outline what they hope for in the U.S.-China relationship. Dube discussed what China and the United States hoped to get out of the meeting. 


The Conversation published an op-ed by Professor and Assistant Dean Gordon Stables on the historical impetus for America's role on the global stage.


The Los Angeles Times quoted Jeffrey Cole about the experience of Viacom Inc.'s new chairman and chief executive, Jim Gianopulos.


USA Today quoted David Craig on why television shows are increasingly featuring diverse characters that speak more than one language and could potentially appeal to a global audience.


The Los Angeles Times quoted Nicholas Cull on why banks and other businesses will likely relocate out of Britain before the Brexit process has finished.

The Washington Post also quoted Cull on the value of cultural diplomacy when political relations are fraught.


Fox News quoted Joe Saltzman on the positive impact the election of Donald Trump has had on Stephen Colbert's late night show ratings.


The Huffington Post published a Q&A led by Robert Scheer on how a federal crackdown on immigration will affect local communities. The Huffington Post also ran Scheer’s interview of William Blum about immigrant scapegoating by presidential administrations.


Jewish Journal published commentary by Marty Kaplan on President Donald Trump's inability to take responsibility for any failures or missteps. Jewish Journal also published Kaplan’s commentary about how tethered people's lives are to technology.


The Globe and Mail (Canada) published an op-ed by Mike Ananny and Taylor Owen on why current investments and research into artificial intelligence should also go hand-in-hand with an investigation into the ethics and governance of the technology.


Los Angeles Times quoted Thomas Hollihan about the need to agree on a common set of facts for opposing parties to have a meaningful political conversation.


The Huffington Post published Philip Seib’s column titled “U.S. Involvement in Syria and the Value of Soft Power.”


The Daily Trojan featured Lisa Pecot-Hébert and adjunct faculty member David Measer, in a story about a USC Annenberg lecture “100 Million People You Don’t Know, But Should,” based on the lecture the pair delivered at South by Southwest. 


Stacy Smith’s studies, as part of the work of USC Annenberg’s Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative, were cited by several national outlets. Those quoting the work include: USA Today, Bustle, Buzzfeed News, Vulture and Inquisitr.


Dan Schnur’s op-ed about the possibility of President Trump taking a centrist path was published by The New York Times. The San Francisco Chronicle also published an op-ed by Schnur, on how the California legislature failed to enforce a state law prohibiting tax-payer funded travel to states that have laws infringing on the rights of the LGBTQ community.

Schnur was quoted by several outlets:

San Jose Mercury News quoted Schnur on new poll results that show California Democrats want their politicians to oppose certain policies proposed by the Trump administration. Los Angeles Daily News quoted him about the growing political capital of Rep. Adam Schiff. The San Francisco Chronicle published his op-ed about how two California Congressmen are leading the House Intelligence Committee's examination into alleged election tampering by Russian officials. The Los Angeles Times quoted Schnur recently pulled legislative bill that would have expanded rent controls in California cities. The Los Angeles Times also quoted him about how Republicans in California can reassure their constituents by criticizing President Donald Trump. The Press-Telegram quoted him about the reality of Compton's falling crime rate compared to society's perceptions. His op-ed about what Trump could learn from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was published by the San Francisco Chronicle.