Dr. Jennings Bryant Named Blackmon-Moody Award Recipient At UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ­ The University of Alabama has named Dr. Jennings Bryant the recipient of the 2000 Blackmon-Moody Award, one of the highest honors bestowed on UA faculty members.

Created by Frederick Moody Blackmon of Montgomery to honor the memory of his grandmother, Sarah McCorkle Moody of Tuscaloosa, the award is given each year to a faculty member who has made extraordinary contributions to his or her profession.

Bryant, who earned his doctorate from Indiana University, a master’s from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s from Davidson College, has been at the University since 1987. He is professor of communication in UA’s College of Communication and Information Sciences and also holds the Ronald Reagan Endowed Chair of Broadcasting and serves as director of the Institute for Communication Research.

A nationally respected scholar on children’s television and its impact on the American family, Bryant has been involved in numerous ground-breaking studies highlighting the effects of television on the emotional, educational and social development of children. His most recent study for the Public Broadcast Service and its “Ready to Learn” program, found that parents who attended a free PBS educational workshop spent much more time with their children during television viewing and other educational activities than non-participating parents. Parents who participated in the program were also found to be much more likely to monitor and discuss television viewing and content with their children.

Although Bryant is a national expert on children’s television issues, he is also globally recognized for his knowledge of telecommunications issues ­ so much so that he has served on a wide variety of committees and boards, including most recently being named president-elect of the International Communication Association. Two years ago, Bryant was selected to a special committee dealing with Y2K issues across the United States affecting the telecommunications industry.

He has also chaired the state of Alabama’s Information Age Task Force and has served on the last two search committees for UA presidents. Bryant also chaired the 1996 UA provost search committee and the 1998 search committee charged with finding a vice president for student affairs.

“Dr. Bryant was chosen because he is the complete professorial package,” said Dr. Ronald Rogers, assistant vice president for academic affairs and dean of the graduate school at UA. “He performs the original empirical experiments, presents all the research in the field for other scholars and students through teaching, and advises Alabamians and Americans about what all this means for them through outreach. He shapes the national research agenda, yet finds time to talk to the PTA. These activities reflect great credit on him and The University of Alabama.”

“The Blackmon-Moody Award is a prestigious recognition of the best we do,” said Dr. E. Culpepper Clark, dean of the College of Communication and Information Sciences. “Jennings Bryant has been an inspirational colleague and a good friend to all. He has real star power, but never neglects his students, colleagues, or his community in pursuit of ambition. For his work with children and television, he meets the criterion of Blackmon-Moody for ‘singular, exceptional and timely work.’ During his robust career, however, Jennings has met this criterion many times over.”

Note: Dr. Jennings Bryant will receive the prestigious Blackmon-Moody Award on Sunday, Nov. 5, in a 4 p.m. ceremony at the president’s mansion. For more information, please contact Skelly at the above number or e-mail address.