Eric Deggans

Offers more than three decades' experience as a journalist covering media, music, pop culture, race, social issues, journalism ethics and more. Worked as an adjunct professor at four universities and reported for four major newspapers. Hosted one national TV show, several national radio programs and nationally distributed podcasts; appeared in many other national TV and radio programs. Have written one book and contributed to many others. Has performed as a musician in a major label recording act and toured internationally.

• Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame, April 2024.
• Irene Miller Vigilance in Journalism Award, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, 2021.
• Distinguished Alumni Service Award, April 2020, Indiana University. The highest accolade reserved solely for alumni.
• Excellence in Reporting on Social Issues Award, August 2019, American Sociological Association. Honors journalists or communicators who advance sociological understanding.
• Distinguished Alumni Award, November 2016, The Media School at Indiana University. Honors former students who have become leaders in media.
• Legacy Award, 08/2013, National Association of Black Journalists, Honors veteran arts and entertainment journalists.

• Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation, Eric Deggans, October 2012, Palgrave MacMillan/St. Martins Press, 275 pgs. An examination of how some media outlets use prejudice, stereotypes and racism to galvanize audiences.
• The New Ethics of Journalism, danah boyd, Roy Peter Clark, Eric Deggans, Ann Friedman, Dan Gillmor, Monica Guzman, Adam Hochberg, Tom huang, Kenneth Irby, Gilad Lofan, Steve Myers, Clay Shirky, Craig Silverman, Steven Waldman, October 2014, SAGE/CQ Press, 243 pgs. Contributed chapter, outlining the issues, principles and pitfalls modern journalists face in covering race.
• Reading Media: The New Horizons of Textual Analysis, edited by Jonathan Gray and Daphne Gershon, mid-2025 NYU Press. Contributed analysis/essay on how TV critics analyze programs and assemble reviews.
• The Wire: The Complete Visual History, edited by D. Watkins, December 2022, Insight Editions, 244 pgs. Contributed a chapter analyzing the fifth season of HBO's landmark series.

Awards Judge - Served on the board of judges who select the George Foster Peabody Awards for Excellence in Electronic Media from 2013 to 2019; in the final year, became the board's first African American chair. Also served on judging panels to choose the Independent Spirit Awards, the Critic's Choice Association's awards, the TV Critics' Association's awards and the International Documentary Association awards.  

Adjunct professor - Taught journalism and American studies courses at University of Tampa and Eckerd Colleges from 2001 to 2005.

Freelance writer - Written stories for the New York Times, POLITICO, Columbia Journalism Review, U.S. News and World Report, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, others.

Guest speaker - Presented talks on journalism, race, media, pop culture and related subjects at Harvard University, Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communications, others.

Musician - Played drums and sang with Motown Records artists The Voyage Band in the 1980s; continues to perform as drummer, bassist and vocalist.

• Keith Woods, Chief Diversity Officer, NPR, Kwoods@npr.org, (202) 480-7061
• Jeffrey P. Jones, Executive Director, George Foster Peabody Awards, jpjones7@uga.edu, (757) 748-7872
• Kelly McBride, Senior Vice President and Chair, Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, kmcbride@poynter.org, (727) 580-4438

• National Association of Black Journalists
• TV Critics Association
• Poynter Institute National Advisory Board
• George Foster Peabody Awards