Rate My Professor Sally Ann Cruikshank

Sally Ann Cruikshank is a Professor in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media within the College of Media and Entertainment at Middle Tennessee State University. She earned her PhD from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, following an award-winning career as a television news producer. Prior to her academic appointment, Cruikshank led journalism workshops around the world. At MTSU, she progressed from assistant professor to associate professor in 2021, when she was tenured and promoted, and subsequently to full professor. Her career includes significant service roles, such as chairing the Graduate Council, serving on graduate faculty status committees, and participating in strategic plan development subcommittees. She has co-directed faculty learning communities involving faculty from journalism and other departments across campus. Cruikshank organizes events like Graduate Studies Night for online students and has presented at civic learning conferences alongside students and colleagues.

Cruikshank's research and publications focus on media coverage, digital technologies in journalism, and professional practices. She co-authored the book A Complete Guide to Television, Field, and Digital Producing (Routledge, 2021) with Christine Eschenfelder and Keonte Coleman, offering comprehensive guidance on producing for television, field reporting, and digital platforms. Notable peer-reviewed articles include Artificial Intelligence and Journalism: An Agenda for Research (Digital Journalism, 2022, with Ammina Kothari), which outlines research priorities for AI integration in newsrooms; U.S. newspaper and television coverage of the southern border wall debate (Newspaper Research Journal, 2018); and The Impact of Twitter Use on Enjoyment and Sports Viewing (Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 2019, with Levi R. Smith). Additional works encompass studies on journalist safety, such as Human Security as a Conceptual Framework: The Case of Palestinian Journalists (2024, with Carol B. Schwalbe, Ramona Relly, and Ethan H. Schwalbe), and analyses of media framing in political and social contexts. She chairs thesis committees for master's students, contributing to research on topics like neurodivergence in media, environmental journalism, and #MeToo coverage. Cruikshank delivers public lectures, including on the press and presidential campaigns in MTSU's Honors lecture series, and engages in professional organizations like AEJMC.