Ralph E. Hanson is the chair of the Department of Communication at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Previously, he was on the faculty of the P.I. Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University where he taught for fifteen years. For more than fifteen years he has taught media literacy and introduction to mass communication. He was a founding developer of West Virginia University's online extended learning program He has also taught newswriting, blogging and commentary writing, community journalism, and diffusion of innovations. Ralph has a bachelor's degree in journalism and anthropology from Iowa State University, a master's degree in journalism from Iowa State, and a doctorate… in sociology from Arizona State University. When Ralph is not out on his motorcycle, he is blogging on mass communication issues at http://RalphEHanson.com and tweeting at @ralphehanson.