Journal of Mass Communication & Journalism

John Dillon

John Dillon
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
Murray State University, USA

Biography

Dr. John Dillon grew up in Northern Manhattan, NYC, not far from the George Washington Bridge in Washington Heights.  He attended parochial schools for primary and secondary grades, and then Lehman College of the City University of New York in the Bronx.  While there, an interest in print journalism developed and he wrote and edited for the campus newspaper, Meridian.  He was also a “peer counselor,” and divided his time as an English major with a minor in social work.  He assisted campus personnel in budget decisions as a matter of their request.

At the basis of these post-Watergate years was a simple desire to assist humanity, whether in person or by way of journalistic gateways.

In the late 1970’s, after stints as a salesman of photocopiers and door-to-door encyclopedias, Dillon gravitated to the University of Missouri School of Journalism (Columbia), studying broadcasting.  These were the days of 16-mm film photography and editing.  Dillon produced series reports for the local NBC-affiliated station KOMU (Channel 8), and anchored both news and sportscasts.  Shortly thereafter, he took jobs as television news producer for WNCT-TV, North Carolina; WDTN-TV, Dayton and then embarked upon work as a Congressional Press Secretary in Washington, D.C.

Research Interest

Media literacy; mass communication arts in general ; functional use of the Internet by the elderly; impact of new technologies upon citizenry (Zeitgeist); and application of psychological theories upon media learning.