University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications today announced that Media Production, Management, and Technology (MPMT) Professor and Chair Dave Ostroff is stepping down as head of the department at the end for the spring 2023 semester. He will be on administrative leave in the next academic year and will return to teaching and research in fall 2024.

During his tenure as chair, Ostroff has had many notable achievements including:

• Hiring 12 new faculty members, including several faculty-focused on emerging media.
• Creating and launching the Media and Society Track on campus and online. The online program in 2021 was ranked second in the nation for best online bachelor’s in digital media programs by AcademicInfluence.com.
• Transitioning the department name and focus from “Telecommunication” to “Media Production, Management, and Technology.”
• The College placing eighth in the nation overall in the first annual Broadcast Education Association rankings of schools based on the creative achievement of their students, including fifth in the News and Documentary categories, eighth in Film and Video, and 11th in Sports.

Ostroff joined the Telecommunication faculty in 1985 after six years as a faculty member at Bowling Green State University. Before becoming Telecommunication Department chair in 2003, he was the department’s graduate coordinator for nine years. He also served as interim Journalism Department chair in 2010-11. He has served on 30 UF and CJC committees during his 38 years the College and has lectured at universities in Belgium and The Netherlands and has conducted extended research in Europe, focusing on European Union media policies towards emerging technologies.

He is the author of more than fifty scholarly articles, papers and book chapters and is co-author with Les Smith and John Wright of “Perspectives on Radio and Television, 4th ed.,” and “The Uses of Video in Organizations: An Annotated Bibliography,” with Arnall Downs and Pamela Franklin.

The College has honored Ostroff at several points in his career, including Ph.D. Mentor of the Year (2015), Senior Faculty International Educator of the Year (2011), Faculty Service Award (1990), and Faculty Research Award (1989).  In 1988, Journalism Quarterly named Dave one of the 50 Most Prolific Mass Communication Researchers.

Posted: February 17, 2023
Category: College News
Tagged as: and Technology, David Ostroff, media, Media Production Management and Technology