Distinguished Journalism Author To Lecture At Una

Nov. 03, 2010

Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@xt23z.com, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

FLORENCE, Ala. - The University of North Alabama Department of Communications will host its inaugural Parker-Qualls Lectureship in Communications next week. The lectureship will present Dr. W. Joseph Campbell, of American University, author of the newly published "Getting It Wrong: Ten of the Greatest Misreported Stories of American Journalism." Campbell's presentation will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10 in the GUC Performance Center. The event is open to the public. A reception will be held following the lecture. A book signing will take place 3:30-4:30 p.m. Nov. 11 in the UNA Bookstore, located in the Guillot University Center. Campbell's book "Getting It Wrong" examines 10 widely reported news stories that are part of media and cultural acceptance but that don't withstand a closer examination of the story facts. The 10 myths concern the use of media power for good and bad. The stories range from the notion that the 1938 "War of Worlds" radio broadcast caused nationwide panic and hysteria to reporting on the aftermath of post-Hurricane Katrina violence. Campbell recently lectured on the 10 myths at The Library of Congress. He is the author of four other books on journalism and history, and he maintains the blogsite Media Myth Alert, found at mediamythalert.wordpress.com. The Parker-Qualls Lectureship I funded by Dr. and Mrs. R.L. Qualls of Little Rock, Ark., and includes not only the public lectureship but also classroom meetings with communication students. Qualls is the retired chief executive officer of Baldor Electric Company in Ft. Smith, Ark. Earlier in his career, he had served as president of the University of the Ozarks. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Louisiana State University. The Quallses are both active in supporting higher education and community development. R.L. Qualls' family roots trace to northwest Alabama and northeast Mississippi. The Parker-Qualls Lectureship at UNA is funded in honor of his grandparents. For more information on the Parker-Qualls Lectureship, contact the UNA Department of Communications at 256-765-4247, or e-mail the department chair, Dr. Greg Pitts, at gpitts@xt23z.com.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: xt23z.com and xt23z.com/unaworks/.