Each year, USC programs and faculty research are highlighted in print, broadcast and online stories throughout the world. Highlights of recent news coverage are compiled by USC Media Relations.
USC in the News 4/26/2012
Featured Stories
The New York Times featured a study by Travis Longcore of the USC Dornsife College and colleagues finding that 6.8 million birds are killed each year by collisions with radio towers. The vast majority of the birds are migrating at night, the study found, though the researchers aren't sure why the birds have trouble navigating around bright light sources. They made several suggestions to help reduce bird deaths, including replacing steady-burning red lights with flashing ones. "We're willing to go out and prosecute an oil refiner, but we have an entire communications tower industry killing millions of birds per year," Longcore said. "The least we could do is mitigate it."
The New York Times reported that the National Endowment for the Arts has awarded a grant to "Walden," an online video game based on the writings of Henry David Thoreau, developed at the USC School of Cinematic Arts' Electronic Arts Game Innovation Lab. Los Angeles Times and Mediabistro also covered the news.
Los Angeles Times featured a Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC panel with Robert Kirkman, writer of "The Walking Dead" graphic novel series. KCET-TV noted that the festival included a literary lounge at which middle school students created experimental poetry. The lounge was hosted by Kaya Press, an independent publisher now housed at USC. FishbowlLA profiled USC alumnus Bob Staake, who created the festival's green dinosaur logo. "To help out the Los Angeles Times and USC and publishing in any sort of small way, I'd give it up all day long," Staake said. Glendale News-Press and O.C. Weekly also covered the festival.
Los Angeles Times featured a study by Dowell Myers of the USC Price School and John Pitkin of USC's Population Dynamics Research Group finding that California's population will grow at a much slower rate than previously predicted. The research was also covered by United Press International, Notimex (Mexico), CBS News Los Angeles affiliate KCBS-TV, McClatchy News Service and Science Daily.
L.A. Weekly featured the "Tree of Testimony," an exhibit at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust that uses video testimonies from the USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education. The testimonies give the show an immediacy that many Holocaust exhibits lack, the story stated.
The Washington Post, in an Associated Press story, quoted Manuel Pastor and Cecil "Chip" Murray of the USC Dornsife College about civil unrest in Los Angeles in 1992. KCRW-FM's "Which Way, L.A.?" also interviewed Pastor and Murray. NBC News Los Angeles affiliate NBC-TV interviewed Murray.
Experts Quoted
The Washington Post quoted Edward Lawler of the USC Marshall School about how performance-based incentives affect the way the private sector is organized.
Los Angeles Times quoted Michael Peyser of the USC School of Cinematic Arts about film business opportunities in China.
Daily Mail (U.K.) cited William Mallon of the Keck School of USC about young people drinking hand sanitizer to get drunk.
KPCC-FM interviewed Josh Kun of the USC Annenberg School about Mana, a Mexican pop band that has broken the record for most sold-out shows at the Staples Center.
Hispanic Business quoted Kenneth Williams of the USC School of Cinematic Arts about the potential for social media to organize people.
The Sacramento Bee quoted Dan Schnur of the USC Dornsife College about a court decision regarding the California legislature.
KQED-FM interviewed Michael Cousineau about the Los Angeles Department of Health Services and the Board of Supervisors.
News at a Glance
Los Angeles Times cited research by Charles Swenson of the USC Marshall School on the effect of eliminating a business tax in L.A.
Los Angeles Times mentioned that philanthropist Randall Presley provided funding for the construction of the Cecil B. DeMille Research Room at USC's Doheny Memorial Library.
Los Angeles Times mentioned that Robert Saltzman of the USC Gould School is a member of the Los Angeles Police Department's civilian Police Commission.
Inside Higher Ed mentioned a job posting for the USC Rossier School. Inside Higher Ed ran a second story.
PBS News' "MediaShift" mentioned that WaPo Labs, a digital innovation team for The Washington Post, toured the USC Annenberg School's Innovation Lab.