Larry Burriss

COMMENTARY: The First Amendment is a Shield, Not a Gift

Apr 30, 2026 at 03:08 pm by WGNS News

COMMENTARY: This week, we mark "Law Day" by stepping back from the headlines to examine the bedrock of our industry: the First Amendment. We’ll explore how this constitu.... Read More

COMMENTARY: The Hidden Cost of Classroom Technology in the Post-Chalkboard Era

Apr 22, 2026 at 11:39 pm by WGNS News

COMMENTARY - In 1958, Edward R. Murrow opened a speech with a warning about television that still echoes today: “This just might do nobody any good.” Decades later.... Read More

Commentary: Why Critics of “Disney Adults” Miss the Point, by Dr. Larry Burriss (MTSU)

Mar 31, 2026 at 09:58 am by WGNS News

COMMENTARY: Pushing back against critics who mock so-called “Disney adults,” arguing that enjoying hobbies—whether theme parks, collectibles, or dressing up&.... Read More

Media Commentary: Hollywood vs. History: How Accurate Should Entertainment Be?

Mar 20, 2026 at 06:37 pm by WGNS News

COMMENTARY: Historical inaccuracies, known as anachronisms, often appear in movies, television, and even literature, using examples like Shakespeare’s&nb.... Read More

Researchers Surprised After CIA World Factbook Vanishes from the Internet

Mar 05, 2026 at 08:49 pm by WGNS News

Commentary - The CIA World Factbook was a popular reference guide that provided detailed information about more than 260 countries around the world. It started as a classified.... Read More

Media Commentary by Dr. Larry Burriss: How Media Helped Create the Christmas Traditions We Know Today

Dec 17, 2025 at 07:31 am by WGNS News

MEDIA COMMENTARY: Today, Dr. Larry Burriss, a journalism Professor at MTSU, takes a look at events and ideas from around the world, and pays especially close attention to the.... Read More

“House of Dynamite” Ignites Public Discussion - Media Commentary by MTSU Professor

Nov 11, 2025 at 04:22 pm by WGNS News

Director Kathryn Bigelow’s new movie House of Dynamite asks tough questions about how the U.S. government would react if a missile were headed toward the country. The fi.... Read More

COMMENTARY by Dr. Larry Burriss - How Orson Welles’ Radio Hoax Changed the Way We See Media

Oct 28, 2025 at 07:40 pm by WGNS News

Commentary - Eighty-seven years after Orson Welles’ famous 1938 “War of the Worlds” broadcast frightened listeners into believing Earth was being invaded b.... Read More

From Nixon to Today: Why Politicians Must Endure Criticism, a Media Commentary by Dr. Burriss at MTSU

Sep 30, 2025 at 01:50 am by WGNS News

Media Commentary: Since the Nixon administration’s “enemies list,” the line between opposing policies and opposing political figures has often blurred, makin.... Read More

MTSU’s Dr. Larry Burriss Weighs In on Free Speech and Local Accountability

Sep 15, 2025 at 01:26 pm by WGNS News

Murfreesboro, TN - In a time when debates over speech and censorship echo from college campuses to social media platforms, Dr. Larry Burriss of Middle Tennessee State Uni.... Read More

Commentary: When a Symbol Sparks a Fire - Flag Burning and the Constitution

Sep 02, 2025 at 06:15 pm by WGNS News

COMMENTARY - The American flag symbolizes freedom and democracy, values defended by those who sacrificed their lives. Dr. Larry Burriss, an MTSU professor of journalism, exa.... Read More

MTSU Professor Larry Burriss Compares Cracker Barrel, Rooted in Wilson County, to Coca-Cola and Necco Wafers

Aug 30, 2025 at 03:43 pm by WGNS News

  COMMENTARY: In today's Media Commentary, MTSU Professor Larry Burriss, who has been a longtime staple in the School of Journalism & Strategic Media department, com.... Read More

Media Commentary by MTSU Professor: From Fads to Fashion: Who Really Decides What’s “In”?

Aug 21, 2025 at 01:31 am by WGNS News

Commentary - Trends in fashion often start when a popular person wears something new, and others copy it until the media declares it the latest fad. The problem is, even if yo.... Read More

MTSU’s Dr. Burriss Remembers Exactly Where He Was—and What He Was Wearing—During Woodstock ’69

Jul 29, 2025 at 09:55 am by WGNS News

COMMENTARY: In August 1969, the famous Woodstock Music and Art Fair took place. It was actually in Bethel, New York—and not the town of Woodstock. With a reflection on w.... Read More

Commentary: Real Life Isn’t Always Pretty — And Neither Is the News - by Dr. Larry Burriss, MTSU

Jul 07, 2025 at 06:42 pm by WGNS News

COMMENTARY: Some of the most talked-about parts of the news today are photographs — especially those that show sad or shocking events, like people crying or images of tr.... Read More

Media Commentary: Larry Burriss on Mickey, Snoopy, and the Illusion of Intelligent Machines

Jun 16, 2025 at 04:56 pm by WGNS News

COMMENTARY - During a visit to Walt Disney World, MTSU Journalism Professor Larry Burriss humorously recalls being told that Mickey Mouse and Cinderella are the real deal&mdas.... Read More

Commentary by Dr. Burriss: Hidden Treasures in Plain Sight

May 19, 2025 at 10:38 am by WGNS News

COMMENTARY - A man plans to check his old prints and picture frames after hearing surprising stories of hidden treasures. Harvard once bought what they thought was a $28 copy.... Read More

Commentary: When News Was Just News - A Look Back at Honest Reporting, by MTSU Professor

May 12, 2025 at 11:44 am by WGNS News

Commentary: Some may recall when cable TV first came out and the single news channel that followed. It wasn’t flashy—no commercials, no opinions, just straight fac.... Read More

COMMENTARY - Dragon Logo Gets Lawyer in Hot Water with Judge

May 05, 2025 at 01:24 pm by WGNS News

Commentary - A lawyer in Michigan got in trouble for using a big cartoon dragon logo on every page of a 12-page legal document. While lawyers are allowed to use logos in ads,.... Read More

The World’s Impact on America: Why Global News Matters – Commentary by Dr. Burriss

Mar 26, 2025 at 09:02 am by WGNS News

COMMENTARY: No one lives completely alone, and the same is true for countries—they are all connected. Events in other parts of the world, like conflicts or economic chan.... Read More