Professor Dale Blasingame Published in a BEA Electronic Media Research Series

January 24, 2020

jonzmikly

By Hannah HolderAs data and analytics continues to develop in the rapidly growing media world, so does the need for it to be taught in the classroom.Texas State’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication professor of practice Dale Blasingame has published his very own chapter in a BEA Electronic Media Research Series to help students learn more about data and analytics, among other media tools.“The chapter is called Engagement Metrics That Matter, and I essentially break down the meaning and strategy involved with every metric you can currently measure on the different social networks,” Blasingame began. “Everything from the simple stuff (reactions, comments, shares, etc.) to more nuanced metrics like spam reports.”His chapter regarding data and numbers is in a 278-page book called The Golden Age of Data: Media Analytics in Study & Practice. Blasingame said he landed this opportunity when he presented on a panel during the Broadcast Educators Association Conference in late 2019. Each panelist turned their talk into a chapter for the book. He said, “For someone who doesn’t typically do research/writing in this form, it was a huge opportunity.” The purpose of his chapter is to help readers “take away a bigger picture idea of strategy.” Blasingame discusses how newsrooms and brands use data and numbers to guide their content and advertising strategies on socials. Blasingame is a member of the Digital Media Innovation sequence, teaching Advanced Social Media and Analytics, as well as drones, web design and other digital media skills and concepts courses.