Robert E. Denton Jr.

Robert E. Denton Jr., former Director of the School of Communication and W. Thomas Rice Chair

Robert E. Denton, Director of the School of Communication and W. Thomas Rice Chair — Robert E. Denton Jr., former Director of the School of Communication and W. Thomas Rice Chair

_{School of Communication

181 Turner St. NW

Blacksburg, VA 24061}

Robert E. Denton Jr. retired following the 2021-2022 academic year after 34 years at Virginia Tech and 21 years leading the Department/School of Communication. Denton, the former director of the School of Communication and the W. Thomas Rice Chair at Pamplin College of Business, specializes in political communication with a focus on media and politics, political campaigns, and presidential discourse.

He is the author, coauthor, or editor of 33 books and has written numerous scholarly articles and book chapters. He has also presented more than 80 convention and professional papers.

In addition to his scholarly pursuits, Denton remains involved with local media. He has worked in a variety of capacities including as a senior consultant, a political analyst, and a host. A current political analyst for WBDJ-7 and the Wheeler Broadcasting Group, he has also hosted many of his own programs including “Insight” and “At Issue with Bob Denton” for WBRA-15.

Principal Areas of Research Focus

Political Communication
Political Campaigns
Media and Politics
Persuasion
Presidential Discourse
Political Ethics

Education

PhD, Purdue University
MA, Wake Forest University
BA, Wake Forest University

Professional Roles

Director, Virginia Tech School of Communication
Founding Director, Rice Center for Leader Development
W. Thomas Rice Chair, Commonwealth Eminent Scholar
Political Analyst, WBDJ-7 Television

Awards and Honors

2019, Communicator of the Year by the Virginia Association of Communication Arts and Sciences, Keynote Address and award presentation at the annual convention of the Virginia Association of Communication Arts and Sciences, March 29, 2019.
2019, Appointed to the Academy of Faculty Leadership, Virginia Tech, February 1, 2019.
2016, Recipient of the 2016 Carl Couch Center Director’s Service Award, The Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research, University of Iowa, presented at the Annual Convention of the National Communication Association, Political Communication Division, November 12, 2016.
2016, President’s Award for Exemplary Service, Virginia State University, August 11, 2016.
2016, “Tribute to Robert E. Denton, Jr.,” Political Communication Division, Eastern Communication Association, Annual Convention, Baltimore, Maryland, April 1, 2016.

Publications

Books

The 2020 Presidential Campaign: A Communication Perspective, Robert E. Denton, Jr., Editor. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2021.

Studies of Communication in the 2020 Presidential Campaign, Robert E. Denton, Jr., Editor, Lexington Books, 2021.

Campaigning in the Aftermath of the 2020 Elections: A Communication Perspective, Robert E. Denton, Jr., Editor. Lanham, MD, Rowman & Littlefield, in press, December 2021 release.

Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices, 9th Edition, by Juddith Trent, Robert Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton, Jr., Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2020.

Book Chapters

“Media Coverage and the Practice of Journalism in the 2020 Presidential Campaign” by Robert E. Denton, Jr. in The 2020 Presidential Campaign: A Communication Perspective, Robert E. Denton, Jr., Editor. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2021, 93-111.

“Introduction and Overview: The Historic and Tragic Presidential Campaign of 2020” by Robert E. Denton, Jr. in Studies of Communication in the 2020 Presidential Campaign, Robert E. Denton, Jr., Editor. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2021, 1-14.

“Media Coverage and the Post-Election of 2020,” by Robert E. Denton, Jr. in Campaigning in the Aftermath of the 2020 Elections: A Communication Perspective, Robert E. Denton, Jr., Editor. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2022, 51-72.

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