Ralph Hanson
@ralphehanson.bsky.social
Comm Prof@UNK. Blogging since 2004. Author Sage’s Mass Communication: Living in a Media World, now in 9th ed. Husband, dad 🏍. he/him Black Lives Matter
After a long break, my blog is back: Frankenstein, Meta & A-ha!
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/11/19/i...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/11/19/i...
I'm back - Frankenstein, Meta & A-ha! - Living in a Media World
Editor’s Note: Sorry to have gone dark for the last couple of months. It’s been a difficult time. But I have not forgotten my blog, which I’ve had going since 2004. Going to get started back today wit...
www.ralphehanson.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:56 PM
After a long break, my blog is back: Frankenstein, Meta & A-ha!
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/11/19/i...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/11/19/i...
WaPo’s Tom Sietsema announces he is ending his 25-year run as food critic. Can’t wait to see his next course. Tom, along with former casual dining writer Tim Carman, shaped so much of my favorite dining in DC when I lived out east and during visits. wapo.st/46WGWtW
Column | Food critic Tom Sietsema is stepping down — and dropping his anonymity
After a quarter-century of reviewing restaurants, donning disguises and turning down photos, The Post’s food critic is ready for his next course.
wapo.st
October 7, 2025 at 1:01 PM
WaPo’s Tom Sietsema announces he is ending his 25-year run as food critic. Can’t wait to see his next course. Tom, along with former casual dining writer Tim Carman, shaped so much of my favorite dining in DC when I lived out east and during visits. wapo.st/46WGWtW
Reposted by Ralph Hanson
Michael Eisner, who served as CEO of Disney for 21 years and acquired ABC while he was in charge, slams his successor Bob Iger for bending the knee.
September 19, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Michael Eisner, who served as CEO of Disney for 21 years and acquired ABC while he was in charge, slams his successor Bob Iger for bending the knee.
Follow my 2025 JMC 406 Blogging Students - You'll find both their blogs and their Threads feeds here. #jmc406
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/09/08/f...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/09/08/f...
Follow my 2025 JMC 406 Blogging Students - Living in a Media World
This fall I’m teaching my Blogging & Commentary writing class, a course I’ve taught in one form or another since the winter of 1988 (Hint: Blogging wasn’t part of the title then…) Here are links to m...
www.ralphehanson.com
September 9, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Follow my 2025 JMC 406 Blogging Students - You'll find both their blogs and their Threads feeds here. #jmc406
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/09/08/f...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/09/08/f...
Florida, You claim to be a pro-life state and yet by eliminating vaccine mandates for schools you are eliminating one of the most life saving medical developments of the last three centuries! Vaccines depend on near universal use for effectiveness. This will kill children.
wapo.st/4p68Vzy
wapo.st/4p68Vzy
Florida moves to end all school vaccine mandates, first in nation to do so
Florida Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo criticized school vaccine mandates, which every state has, and likened them to slavery.
wapo.st
September 3, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Florida, You claim to be a pro-life state and yet by eliminating vaccine mandates for schools you are eliminating one of the most life saving medical developments of the last three centuries! Vaccines depend on near universal use for effectiveness. This will kill children.
wapo.st/4p68Vzy
wapo.st/4p68Vzy
This week my JMC 406 Blogging and Commentary students were asked to do one of their first posts by listing 10 Threads accounts they are following and why. Who would you recommend? (Or people on Bluesky!) Here's my 2025 list:
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/09/01/t...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/09/01/t...
Ten Threads Accounts to Follow - 2025 Edition - Living in a Media World
This week my JMC 406 Blogging and Commentary students were asked to do one of their first posts by listing 10 Threads accounts they are following and why. You can find my students’ posts using the #JM...
www.ralphehanson.com
September 1, 2025 at 4:53 PM
This week my JMC 406 Blogging and Commentary students were asked to do one of their first posts by listing 10 Threads accounts they are following and why. Who would you recommend? (Or people on Bluesky!) Here's my 2025 list:
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/09/01/t...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/09/01/t...
Jaws, the OG summer blockbuster, is showing for the next week at The World Theatre for its 50th anniversary. You do not want to miss this groundbreaking film on the big screen! Link in the comments for the backstory on this groundbreaking film.
August 29, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Jaws, the OG summer blockbuster, is showing for the next week at The World Theatre for its 50th anniversary. You do not want to miss this groundbreaking film on the big screen! Link in the comments for the backstory on this groundbreaking film.
62 years ago, MLK gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington. Let freedom ring!
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/08/28/6...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/08/28/6...
62 years ago, MLK gave his "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington. Let freedom ring! - Living in a Media World
Editor’s Note: Rerunning a favorite post this morning. “And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom rin...
www.ralphehanson.com
August 28, 2025 at 12:54 PM
62 years ago, MLK gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington. Let freedom ring!
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/08/28/6...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/08/28/6...
I want to buy the movie rights to this article! Radioactive wasp nests found near South Carolina reactor clean-up site.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/s...
‘Hot Wasps’ Found at Nuclear Facility in South Carolina
www.nytimes.com
August 13, 2025 at 1:49 PM
I want to buy the movie rights to this article! Radioactive wasp nests found near South Carolina reactor clean-up site.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/s...
Brad Pitt’s “F1” adds to the pantheon of great racing movies. You can see it this weekend at The World Theatre's big screen for just $5! I also take a look at a number of other recent and vintage racing racing movies you will want to check out as well.
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/07/28/b...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/07/28/b...
Brad Pitt's "F1" adds to the pantheon of great racing movies - Living in a Media World
This weekend, our local community The World Theatre will be showing Brad Pitt’s Formula One racing movie “F1.” As always, tickets are just $5 with popcorn and soda each available from $1-$3. Bit of a ...
www.ralphehanson.com
July 28, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Brad Pitt’s “F1” adds to the pantheon of great racing movies. You can see it this weekend at The World Theatre's big screen for just $5! I also take a look at a number of other recent and vintage racing racing movies you will want to check out as well.
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/07/28/b...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/07/28/b...
Original 1977 Star Wars gets a rare screening by the British Film Institute. Han shoots first! #StarWars
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/07/12/e...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/07/12/e...
Everyone's Gone to the Movies - Original Star Wars Edition - Living in a Media World
Editor’s Note: We’re going to have two or three summer movie blog posts coming up in the next week. For this one we’re looking at a rare screening of the original non-special-edition Star Wars. Origin...
www.ralphehanson.com
July 12, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Original 1977 Star Wars gets a rare screening by the British Film Institute. Han shoots first! #StarWars
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/07/12/e...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/07/12/e...
Now that would be fun...
July 11, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Now that would be fun...
Reposted by Ralph Hanson
I talked with @sarahellison about the facially absurd situation in which a right-wing news outlet is now in business with a company named after and heavily invested in by the president of the United States while regularly reporting about him: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Trump’s social media company strikes deal with friendly news outlet
Truth+, a new streaming service attached to the Truth Social platform, will expand globally, featuring Trump-friendly Newsmax.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 9, 2025 at 3:16 PM
I talked with @sarahellison about the facially absurd situation in which a right-wing news outlet is now in business with a company named after and heavily invested in by the president of the United States while regularly reporting about him: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Media giants doing the come together/separation dance.
Warner Bros. Discovery following the steps of News Corp/Fox and Viacom/CBS/Paramount. #medialiteracy
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/06/17/m...
Warner Bros. Discovery following the steps of News Corp/Fox and Viacom/CBS/Paramount. #medialiteracy
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/06/17/m...
Media giants doing the come together/separation dance - Living in a Media World
Where have I been? Busy end of the semester and then a fair bit of traveling with family and on the motorcycle. Still have a fair amount of travel coming up, but will try to keep up better here. Warne...
www.ralphehanson.com
June 17, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Media giants doing the come together/separation dance.
Warner Bros. Discovery following the steps of News Corp/Fox and Viacom/CBS/Paramount. #medialiteracy
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/06/17/m...
Warner Bros. Discovery following the steps of News Corp/Fox and Viacom/CBS/Paramount. #medialiteracy
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/06/17/m...
The FCC is quietly contemplating a fundamental restructuring of all broadcasting in the United States, via a new DRM-based standard for digital television equipment, enforced by a private “security authority” with control over licensing, encryption, and compliance.
This proposal is a tax on American TV viewers, forcing them to buy new, DRM-laden TVs to continue accessing a public resource.
The FCC Must Reject Efforts to Lock Up Public Airwaves
President Trump’s attack on public broadcasting has attracted plenty of deserved attention, but there’s a far more technical, far more insidious policy change in the offing—one that will take away Ame...
www.eff.org
May 15, 2025 at 3:39 PM
The FCC is quietly contemplating a fundamental restructuring of all broadcasting in the United States, via a new DRM-based standard for digital television equipment, enforced by a private “security authority” with control over licensing, encryption, and compliance.
Extended threads from @jayrosen.bsky.social are always worth paying attention to.
"When in doubt, draw a distinction." 🧵
In grad school one of my professors told me that. Some of the best advice I have ever received.
This is a thread about the key distinctions I use in my work.
I had a version of it posted at the other joint, which I revised a bit to make this one.
Ready? 1/
In grad school one of my professors told me that. Some of the best advice I have ever received.
This is a thread about the key distinctions I use in my work.
I had a version of it posted at the other joint, which I revised a bit to make this one.
Ready? 1/
April 28, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Extended threads from @jayrosen.bsky.social are always worth paying attention to.
Want to put together an online assignment dealing with student free speech? Start with this case study looking at a high school newspaper that got shut down for stories about LGBTQ+ students. #CommunicationLaw
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/04/27/f...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/04/27/f...
Free Speech and High School Students - Who Controls What Gets Printed? - Living in a Media World
It’s never good for a high school when a reporter or editor of the school paper is writing a commentary for the Washington Post. Generally, when that happens, the school administration or school board...
www.ralphehanson.com
April 27, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Want to put together an online assignment dealing with student free speech? Start with this case study looking at a high school newspaper that got shut down for stories about LGBTQ+ students. #CommunicationLaw
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/04/27/f...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/04/27/f...
So aside from being a completely made-up horror/comedy movie, how close is Death of a Unicorn to reality? Surprisingly close... #DeathOfAUnicorn
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/04/25/h...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/04/25/h...
How "Death of a Unicorn" connects with reality - Living in a Media World
So there is a strange, violent, bloody, incredibly funny movie out this spring called Death of a Unicorn starring Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Téa Leoni, and Richard E. Grant. Dear Wife and I saw it Thurs...
www.ralphehanson.com
April 25, 2025 at 9:38 PM
So aside from being a completely made-up horror/comedy movie, how close is Death of a Unicorn to reality? Surprisingly close... #DeathOfAUnicorn
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/04/25/h...
www.ralphehanson.com/2025/04/25/h...
Ruth Sherlock's reporting on Pope Francis' death on NPR's morning news podcast was excellent, but it just didn't seem right that it wasn't the voice of retired European reporter Sylvia Poggioli. But, of course, she could be heard on Morning Edition. #PopeFrancis
www.npr.org/2025/04/21/n...
www.npr.org/2025/04/21/n...
Former NPR European correspondent Sylvia Poggioli on Pope Francis
Former NPR senior European correspondent Sylvia Poggioli, who covered Rome for many years and covered Pope Francis, discusses news of the pope's death at age 88.
www.npr.org
April 21, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Ruth Sherlock's reporting on Pope Francis' death on NPR's morning news podcast was excellent, but it just didn't seem right that it wasn't the voice of retired European reporter Sylvia Poggioli. But, of course, she could be heard on Morning Edition. #PopeFrancis
www.npr.org/2025/04/21/n...
www.npr.org/2025/04/21/n...
Reposted by Ralph Hanson
I'll do a proper thread on this tomorrow hopefully, but the short version is:
George Lucas began changing Star Wars within two months of its first release, even as it was still in cinemas.
And the history of its releases, and Lucas' battle for his right to constantly change it, is fascinating.
George Lucas began changing Star Wars within two months of its first release, even as it was still in cinemas.
And the history of its releases, and Lucas' battle for his right to constantly change it, is fascinating.
Part 2 of our episodes with @garius.bsky.social (John Bull): he guides us through the many different versions/formats of the home media versions of Star Wars original trilogy. Available on all podcast platforms. open.spotify.com/episode/20GG...
Star Wars - The Original Original Trilogy (35mm)
Millennium Fulcrum · Episode
open.spotify.com
April 14, 2025 at 12:38 PM
I'll do a proper thread on this tomorrow hopefully, but the short version is:
George Lucas began changing Star Wars within two months of its first release, even as it was still in cinemas.
And the history of its releases, and Lucas' battle for his right to constantly change it, is fascinating.
George Lucas began changing Star Wars within two months of its first release, even as it was still in cinemas.
And the history of its releases, and Lucas' battle for his right to constantly change it, is fascinating.
Wall Street Journal opinion page being openly critical of Trump. And from a deeply conservative point of view... (gift link) (Progressives - don't be looking for a feel-good article. It's devastating to you, too.)
www.wsj.com/opinion/trum...
www.wsj.com/opinion/trum...
Opinion | Trump Wants to Be Impeached Again
It’s already in the cards thanks to his ill-founded trade war, no matter how that war plays out.
www.wsj.com
April 12, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Wall Street Journal opinion page being openly critical of Trump. And from a deeply conservative point of view... (gift link) (Progressives - don't be looking for a feel-good article. It's devastating to you, too.)
www.wsj.com/opinion/trum...
www.wsj.com/opinion/trum...
Nebraska's Field of Dreams golf course. A northeast Nebraska farmer looked at pasture land and saw a golf course. And once it was built, so did everyone else. All of the 2025 tee times sold out in an hour at the public course. (gift link)
www.wsj.com/sports/golf/...
www.wsj.com/sports/golf/...
America’s Toughest Tee Time Is a Public Course in Nebraska
A farmer looked at his land and saw the vision for Landmand Golf Club. Then he built it—and everyone came.
www.wsj.com
April 12, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Nebraska's Field of Dreams golf course. A northeast Nebraska farmer looked at pasture land and saw a golf course. And once it was built, so did everyone else. All of the 2025 tee times sold out in an hour at the public course. (gift link)
www.wsj.com/sports/golf/...
www.wsj.com/sports/golf/...
Bluesky’s Quest to Build Nontoxic Social Media
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Bluesky’s Quest to Build Nontoxic Social Media
X and Facebook are governed by the policies of mercurial billionaires. Bluesky’s C.E.O., Jay Graber, says that she wants to give power back to the user.
www.newyorker.com
April 7, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Bluesky’s Quest to Build Nontoxic Social Media
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...