New Article: Ethics of Authenticity: Social Media Influencers and the Production of Sponsored Content

The Journal of Media Ethics published Ryan and his co-author’s new article, “Ethics of Authenticity: Social Media Influencers and the Production of Sponsored Content.” Influencers consider ethics through their relationship with their audience and their personal brand. The article argues that influencers believe it’s ethically okay to produce sponsored content if the content is authentic to both their brand and their audience.

New Article: Grandma or Mommy: Familial Labels as Constructs of Identity in Grandfamilies

As a master’s student, Dr. Jessica Freeman asked me to help her transcribe interviews on research she was working on around grandparents raising grandchildren, or grandfamilies. Transcribing was an entirely new experience since I was new to research, so it gave me a great opportunity to dive into the world of interview methodology. After transcribing

New Article: How Travel Influencers Work With Destination Marketing Brands

My article “Professionalizing and Profiting: The Rise of Intermediaries in the Social Media Influencer Industry” was published last month in Social Media and Society. This study examines the relationship between travel influencers (e.g., bloggers and social media personalities) and destination marketers within the changing travel and tourism industry. Through in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis,

Book Review: Localising Hollywood by Courtney Brannon Donoghue

Book reviews have become a good friend during my PhD program. They help decide what books are worth spending the time to read fully, contextualize what conversations the book joins, and usefully summarize some of the key arguments of the books (and often where to find them within the book). The Media Industries Journal recently published