Area of Expertise: U.S. newspapers, use of computers in journalism, development and use of electronic media, use of the Internet by government agencies, impact of new communication technologies on society, emerging media technologies, journalism ethics, coverage of campaign finance, information access and privacy, investigative reporting, Washington reporting

Additional Information: Wendell Cochran has a special interest in computer-assisted journalism. He lectures to other communication professionals on the subject and helped integrate the use of the latest technologies into the School of Communication's graduate journalism program. His interest in helping journalists have timely access to complex campaign finance data led him to develop the university's campaign finance Web site. The site, heavily used by journalists around the country, provides quick and easy access to the latest information on financial contributions to national campaigns. Before Cochran began teaching, he worked as a business reporter, special projects editor, and project director for leading national news organizations, including theKansas City Star,the Des Moines Register, and Gannett News Service. He has also worked as a contributing editor to Top Producer,a leading agriculture magazine. Cochran has continued his work in journalism as a Freedom Forum journalist in residence and as a contributor to several professional publications, including American Journalism Review, Quill, the Journal of Mass Media Ethics, Electronic Journal of Communication, and American Editor. He is an active member of Investigative Reporters and Editors, and the Online News Association. He is also the senior editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop, a center launched at the School of Communication in June 2008.

Media Relations
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