Dr. Larry Burriss

From Sears Catalogs to Amazon Carts: The Surprising Survival of Old-Fashioned Mail-Order Shopping

Oct 28, 2026 at 10:05 pm

Commentary - Long before Amazon and online shopping carts, Americans could order almost anything imaginable from the pages of a Sears catalog or the advertisements tucked in.... Read More

MEDIA COMMENTARY: Who Does the White House Press Secretary Really Work For? Dr. Larry Burriss Weighs In

Oct 20, 2026 at 12:18 pm

Commentary: From Franklin D. Roosevelt to today's White House, the role of presidential press secretary has evolved alongside the relationship between the president, the news.... Read More

COMMENTARY - Before ESPN and Remote Controls: A Trip Down Sports Broadcasting Memory Lane

Oct 12, 2026 at 01:46 pm

Commentary - From the earliest radio broadcasts to today's around-the-clock sports networks, the way Americans watch and listen to sporting events has undergone a rema.... Read More

COMMENTARY - From Gutenberg to Google: Has Technology Really Changed How We Consume the News?

Sep 28, 2026 at 03:24 pm

COMMENTARY - For centuries, new technology has repeatedly promised to change - or even replace - the way people receive their news. From Johannes Gutenberg’s printing.... Read More

Trust but Verify: Dr. Larry Burriss Examines the Real-World Danger of Online Misinformation

Aug 17, 2026 at 08:14 pm

COMMENTARY - MTSU Professor Dr. Larry Burriss says the internet can make bad information look convincing - and when misinformation crosses into international affairs, the.... Read More

MEDIA COMMENTARY: Can Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws Help Us Control Artificial Intelligence?

Aug 11, 2026 at 12:55 am

MEDIA COMMENTARY: Artificial intelligence continues to raise difficult questions about control, responsibility and what happens when rapidly advancing technology begins o.... Read More

Commentary: The Sedition Act and the Enduring Danger of Restricting a Free Press

Jul 14, 2026 at 09:45 am

COMMENTARY - This week marks the anniversary of a pivotal moment in the history of press freedom, when Congress passed the Sedition Act of 1798 and made certain criticism of t.... Read More

COMMENTARY: Dr. Larry Burriss Looks at Banned Books and the Freedom to Read

Jul 01, 2026 at 09:48 pm by WGNS News

COMMENTARY: As Independence Day weekend approaches, MTSU journalism professor Dr. Larry Burriss is taking a closer look at freedom of thought, public debate, and the continuin.... Read More

From Normandy to Today: How War Reporting Changed — and Stayed the Same

Jun 16, 2026 at 09:50 pm by WGNS News

Each year in June, Americans pay tribute to World War II veterans who played a role in the start of Operation Overload. That start is D-Day, which took place on June 6, 1944.... Read More

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

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

COMMENTARY: When Hollywood Rewrites History with Anachronisms

Feb 18, 2026 at 03:57 pm by WGNS News

COMMENTARY: Before we dive into today’s commentary, think back to the last movie or TV show you watched. Did you notice a historical slip-up? A detail that didn’t.... 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

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

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

Commentary: Elvis, Kidnappings, and Palladium: The Problem with Misused Data

Aug 06, 2025 at 10:04 pm by WGNS News

COMMENTARY - News stories often use real numbers but come to the wrong conclusions by twisting the facts. Statistics can be misleading when not explained clearly—like.... 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 on Misunderstood Moments: The Iwo Jima Flag Raising Controversy

Feb 25, 2025 at 08:32 pm by WGNS News

Media Commentary: February 23rd marked the 80th anniversary of the iconic flag raising on Iwo Jima during World War II. The famous photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal shows the.... Read More