Eric Freedman
Knight Center for Environmental Journalism Chair and Professor | Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI, UNITED STATES
Eric Freedman teaches environmental journalism and serves as director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism.
Media
Publications:
Documents:
Videos:
Audio/Podcasts:
Biography
Eric Freedman is Professor of Journalism and former Associate Dean of International Studies and Programs. During his 20-year newspaper career, he covered public affairs, environmental issues and legal affairs for newspapers in New York and Michigan, winning a Pulitzer Prize for coverage of a legislative corruption scandal. He teaches environmental journalism and serves as director of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. He also teaches public affairs reporting, international journalism and feature writing and serves as director of the school's Capital News Service, a professional-level practicum in which students cover state government for more than 25 newspapers and online news outlets across Michigan. Freedman earned his bachelor's degree in government from Cornell University, his law degree from New York University and his master's degree in resource development from MSU. Internationally, he has taught journalism as a Fulbright scholar in Lithuania, Georgia and Uzbekistan, and given lectures and led workshops and seminars for professional journalists, students and the public in Singapore, Russia, Chile, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Japan, Estonia and Kyrgyzstan.
He served for three years as an International Scholar in the Open Society Foundation's Academic Fellowship Program, where he worked with faculty members in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan.
As a professional journalist and freelancer, Freedman has written for newspapers and magazines on such environmental issues as habitat protection, parks and public lands, toxic substances, extinction, ecotourism and government regulation. At MSU, he directed the Australia Media, Environment, Culture and Tourism study abroad program, the Reporting in the British Isles study abroad program and a freshman seminar abroad on environment and media in Scotland.
His research interests include press systems and journalism practices in the former Soviet Union: environmental journalism practices and challenges; international journalists' professional standards and education; public affairs reporting; news coverage of press and human rights; and U.S. political history.
Industry Expertise (4)
Writing and Editing
Education/Learning
Research
Media - Print
Areas of Expertise (4)
Public Affairs
Journalism Practices
Press Systems
Environmental Journalism
Education (3)
Cornell University: B.A., Government 1971
New York University: J.D., Law 1975
Michigan State University: M.S., Resource Development 2004
Links (6)
News (5)
Journalists face news industry turbulence
Spartan Newsroom online
2023-09-08
These are tough times for American journalists. Traditional newspaper, magazine and broadcast station staffs are shrinking. News outlets are cutting back on coverage, merging companies or – most drastically – folding. Nonprofit start-ups are emerging and doing high-quality journalism but often struggle financially.
Commentary: Lessons from the brink
Spartan Newsroom online
2023-08-08
There’s nothing like almost dying to wake you up to the multiple realities of America’s health care system.
OPINION: Mass shooting coverage shows crucial role of student journalists
Midland Daily News online
2023-03-06
When the horrendous shooting occurred on the Michigan State University campus, student journalists rushed in to cover the tragedy, its impact on the university and community, the investigation and university security.
Why covering the environment is one of the most dangerous beats in journalism
MSU Today online
2018-11-19
From the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Kashoggi by Saudi agents to President Trump’s clashes with the White House press corps, attacks on reporters are in the news. This problem extends far beyond the politics beat, and world leaders aren’t the only threats.
J-School Pulitzer Winners Gather in Washington
MSU College of Communication Arts and Sciences online
2016-03-02
Three Pulitzer Prize-winners from the J-School took part in recent events in Washington, D.C., commemorating the centennial of the prestigious awards in journalism, literature and music. M.L. Elrick, ‘90, won a 2009 Pulitzer for Detroit Free Press coverage of then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s corruption scandal.
Journal Articles (5)
What Do They Say? Authors of Articles in Predatory Journalism and Mass Communication Journals Speak
Journal of Scholarly Publishing2023 Journalism and mass communication (J&MC) research examines crucial issues in democratic and undemocratic societies, such as freedom of expression, misinformation and disinformation, government regulation of communications, defamation and invasion of privacy, media technologies and economics, and journalists’ professional practices. Unethical scholarship practices may weaken societal and public policy goals of fair, independent, and accurate reporting and transparent governance.
Predatory Journals in Journalism and Mass Communication: A Case Study of Deceptions
Journal of Scholarly Publishing2022 Predatory publishing is an increasingly difficult challenge to ignore because it threatens the integrity of research literature and scholarship. Still, this scholarly area is largely overlooked in journalism and media communications (J&MC) literature.
Preserving endangered species
Communicating Endangered Species2021 The battle to protect endangered species and to rebuild their populations to sustainable levels is being fought on many levels, and communication about those efforts can bring science to the attention of policy makers and the citizenry, helping to set the agenda for discourse, action, and decision-making.
The wolves of fate
Communicating Endangered Species2021 In 2018, the US National Park Service announced a controversial plan to move 20–30 gray wolves from mainland United States and Canada to Isle Royale National Park to increase genetic diversity and boost a dwindling wolf population. The agency restricted physical access for journalists during the operations, citing safety concerns for the wolves and management team and logistical challenges due to the park’s remoteness.
Publish or Perish? The Steep, Steep Path for Central Asia Journalism and Mass Communication Faculty
Journalism & Mass Communication Educator2020 Journalism and mass communication faculty in Central Asian countries face increased institution and government pressure to produce research that appears in Scopus-indexed publications. This study interviews faculty members in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to examine how they attempt to meet these publication requirements.
