Our school is rooted in the long heritage of three programs at Indiana University: journalism, telecommunications and communication and culture. These three areas of study have overlapped and dovetailed with one another throughout the last 100 years, reflecting the shifting communications theories and technologies of the times.
1911: IU establishes the Department of Journalism with Joseph Piercy as chair.
1915: The journalism department takes ownership of the Daily Student, which was founded in 1867 by students.
1916: The journalism department begins offering a master’s degree in journalism.
1921: Professor Rolla Ramsey tests an early form of wireless service for campus newspapers in the Midwest.
1932: The journalism department begins offering a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
1938: John E. Stempel, BA’23, begins his 30-year tenure as the second leader of the Department of Journalism.
Ernie Pyle, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist best known for his work as a war correspondent during World War II, got his start at IU. Athough he left school before he graduated, he was actively involved in the journalism department during his time at the university and served as the editor of the Daily Student in 1922. He received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Herman B Wells in 1944. IU established a scholarship program for World War II veterans in his name after his death and later named a new building after the venerable alumnus.
1941: The Pearl Harbor extra edition of the Indiana Daily Student hits the streets.
1945: The Board of Trustees approves the Department of Radio.
1950: IU begins offering a bachelor’s degree in radio.
1952: IU begins offering a master’s degree in radio-television.
1953: IU establishes the Department of Radio and Television.
1954: The Department of Journalism, the Indiana Daily Student, the Arbutus and the IU Printing Plant move into Ernie Pyle Hall.
1957: Richard Yoakam is named first broadcast journalism instructor. He also teaches in Radio and Television.
1961: Harry Geduld joins the faculty and promotes film as an area of study.
1963: IU begins offering a doctorate in mass communications, and Radio-TV moves to its new building.
1965: Comparative literature offers IU's first film studies class, C390: The Film, the Arts and Society, taught by Harry Geduld.
1967: The Indiana Daily Student celebrates its centennial.
1973: IU establishes its film studies program.
1974: The Department of Journalism becomes the School of Journalism in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Radio-Television becomes the Department of Telecommunications.
1975: Charles Sherman is named the first telecommunications chair.
1976: A certificate in film studies is approved.
IU establishes the Black Film Center/Archive in 1981.
1982: Journalism becomes a systemwide school within the College of Arts and Sciences.
1985: The School of Journalism begins offering a degree at IUPUI.
1989: The School of Journalism becomes independent.
1993: The first WTIU News Forum student broadcast hits the airwaves.
1997: The High School Journalism Institute celebrates its 50th anniversary.
1998: IU forms the Department of Communication and Culture.
2002: Students create IU Student Television.
2006: The School of Journalism launches its Ernie Pyle Scholars program, travel courses and the journalism Speaker Series.
2007: Telecommunications becomes one of the first academic departments with a fully operational high-definition studio.
2008: Telecommunications introduces a certificate in game studies.
2013: The IU Board of Trustees votes to create The Media School, merging telecommunications, journalism and communication and culture.
2014: The Media School is established on July 1.
2015: James Shanahan begins his term as The Media School's founding dean.
2016: The Media School moves to Franklin Hall after a $21 million renovation.
2019: The Michael I. Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism, funded by a $6 million gift from alumnus Michael Arnolt, BA'67, opens in a renovated facility in Franklin Hall.
2020: The Media School introduces a B.F.A. in cinematic arts.
2023: David Tolchinsky takes the lead as the school's new dean.
