Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media

Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media is a peer-reviewed academic journal covering research on broadcasting, electronic media, and related industries. It publishes empirical studies, theoretical analyses, and reviews that address relationships among technologies, institutions, and audiences in audiovisual communication. The journal serves scholars, educators, and practitioners linked to professional associations and academic departments.

History

Founded in 1957 during a period of expansion in mass communication scholarship, the journal emerged alongside institutions such as the Broadcast Education Association, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, and the International Communication Association. Early editorial leadership included figures associated with Columbia University, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, and Northwestern University, reflecting ties to programs at Annenberg School for Communication, Medill School of Journalism, and School of Journalism and Mass Communication (University of Wisconsin–Madison). The journal’s evolution paralleled developments in technologies and policy marked by events and institutions such as the Federal Communications Commission, the rise of cable television in the United States, the advent of satellite television, and the growth of digital broadcasting. Throughout the late 20th century, special issues connected scholarship to inquiries prompted by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the emergence of MTV, the international expansion of BBC World Service, and shifts documented at conferences like the International Communication Association Annual Conference and the National Communication Association Convention.

Scope and Topics

Subjects covered span programmatic, institutional, and audience-focused research on radio, television, and online audiovisual media, intersecting with sectors and organizations such as Nielsen ratings, Public Broadcasting Service, National Public Radio, Walt Disney Company, and Comcast Corporation. The journal includes analyses of media policy referencing entities like the Federal Communications Commission and comparative studies involving broadcasters such as ITV, CBC, ARD (broadcaster), and NHK. Methodological contributions draw on traditions associated with scholars at Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California (Annenberg), while topical foci examine phenomena linked to YouTube, Netflix, HBO, TikTok, Spotify, and legacy platforms exemplified by NBC, CBS, and ABC (American Broadcasting Company). Cross-disciplinary work connects to research institutions and projects at Pew Research Center, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, and archives such as the Library of Congress.

Editorial and Publication Details

Published quarterly by Routledge on behalf of the Broadcast Education Association, the journal operates under a peer-review model managed by an editor-in-chief drawn from major communication schools like University of Texas at Austin, University of Michigan, or University of California, Los Angeles. Editorial boards have included scholars affiliated with Rutgers University, Ohio State University, University of Minnesota, and Indiana University Bloomington. Submission categories include empirical articles, theoretical essays, and book reviews relevant to publishers such as Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and Routledge. Production and distribution are coordinated with indexing services provided by providers like EBSCO Information Services, ProQuest, and Clarivate Analytics, while subscription models intersect with organizations such as JSTOR and institutional libraries at New York Public Library and British Library.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in major bibliographic databases and services that serve communication, social science, and humanities researchers, including listings in Scopus, Social Sciences Citation Index, and metadata aggregated by CrossRef. Library cataloging connects entries to systems used by WorldCat and the Library of Congress, while discovery platforms such as Google Scholar and Dimensions facilitate citation tracking. Citation metrics reported by Clarivate Analytics and bibliometric analyses appearing in venues like Journal Citation Reports inform assessments of visibility relative to outlets such as Communication Research, Media, Culture & Society, and Journal of Communication.

Impact and Reception

Over decades the journal has influenced scholarship on broadcasting policy, industry structure, and media effects, cited alongside classic studies and works published by authors connected to David Sarnoff-era histories, regulatory scholarship around the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and audience research traditions established at Columbia Broadcasting System. Its articles are frequently referenced in policy debates engaging the Federal Communications Commission and in reports by think tanks like the Berkman Klein Center and Brennan Center for Justice. Comparative impact metrics place the journal among recognized specialized outlets in communication studies, often compared with titles such as Television & New Media, New Media & Society, and Critical Studies in Media Communication. Reception among scholars and practitioners reflects its role in bridging academic research, industry practice at firms like WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS, and pedagogy across programs at Syracuse University, University of Florida, and Boston University.

Category:Academic journals Category:Communication journals Category:Quarterly journals