School of Journalism and Strategic Media — University of Arkansas

What School of Journalism and Strategic Media — University of Arkansas does

The School of Journalism and Strategic Media is an academic department within the University of Arkansas, a public state university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Founded in 1930 by Walter J. Lemke and previously known as the Lemke Journalism Department, the school was recently renamed to reflect an expanded remit that now spans journalism, broadcasting, advertising, and public relations. It holds continuous accreditation from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) and serves approximately 900-1,000 declared majors, supported by 25 full-time faculty and instructors plus adjunct and part-time staff. The school sits inside the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and is one of its largest undergraduate programs.

The school's academic portfolio includes a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with three concentrations (Journalism, Broadcast, and Multimedia Storytelling & Production), a separate Advertising and Public Relations major, a Master of Arts in Journalism and Strategic Media, an undergraduate minor offered both on-campus and online, and two online microcertificates in Writing for Modern Mass Media and Strategic Media Skills delivered through the University of Arkansas Global Campus. Beyond the classroom, the school operates an unusually broad experiential platform: seven student-run outlets — UATV, KXUA 88.3-FM, the Arkansas Traveler, the Razorback Yearbook, Hill Magazine, Main Hill Media, and the NPR-affiliated KUAF 91.3 FM (a 100,000-watt station) — together with the Center for Media Ethics and Literacy. Capital assets include the Sue Walk Burnett Journalism and Student Media Center, a three-camera television studio and control room, and more than $200,000 in multimedia equipment available for student check-out, including 30 high-definition camera kits.

As a public academic unit, the school does not operate as a commercial enterprise; revenue is not separately disclosed because tuition, state appropriations, and endowment income flow through the University of Arkansas. Programmatic and outreach funding is augmented by corporate and foundation grants — most notably from Tyson Foods Inc. and Northwest Arkansas Newspapers Inc. for the Lemke Journalism Project, an annual six-week multimedia program for Northwest Arkansas high school students founded in 2001 — and by an annual scholarship endowment that grew from $70,000 in 2011/2012 to $175,350 in 2024/2025. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-student via the central University of Arkansas admissions process, with declared majors entering through the Fulbright College Advising Center, supplemented by outreach programs, industry events such as the annual Roy Reed Lecture Series, and alumni engagement.

Name

School of Journalism and Strategic Media — University of Arkansas

Legal name

School of Journalism and Strategic Media — University of Arkansas

Website

https://journalism.uark.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The School of Journalism and Strategic Media at the University of Arkansas is an ACEJMC-accredited public academic department offering undergraduate and graduate programs in journalism, broadcasting, multimedia storytelling, and advertising/public relations to approximately 1,000 students, supported by seven student-run media outlets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education — Journalism and Mass Communication

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Newspaper Publishers (513110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Communications, Media Studies & Journalism (EDAGABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

University/Educational Local Stations (College Radio, Campus TV) (MPABACAH), National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB), University/College-licensed Public Broadcasting (TV & Radio) (MPABADAD), Student Media & Publications (Newspaper, Radio, TV) (EDALAHAE)

Keywords

• Journalism education
• Mass communication degrees
• Advertising public relations
• Multimedia storytelling programs
• Student media outlets

Headquarters

HQ city

Fayetteville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Students pay university tuition for enrollment in journalism degree programs.
2. Scholarship Funding: The school awards more than $150,000 annually in scholarships to journalism majors, with amounts growing from $70,000 in 2011/2012 to $175,350 in 2024/2025.
3. Corporate and Foundation Grants: External funding from organizations like Tyson Foods Inc. and Northwest Arkansas Newspapers Inc. supports the Lemke Journalism Project outreach program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The School of Journalism and Strategic Media delivers undergraduate and graduate academic programs in journalism, broadcast, multimedia storytelling, and advertising/public relations. It operates extensive student-run media outlets including a television station, radio station, newspaper, yearbook, magazine, NPR affiliate, and student advertising agency to provide hands-on professional training.

Product overview

The School of Journalism and Strategic Media offers a comprehensive suite of academic programs and student media operations. The academic portfolio includes four undergraduate offerings: three concentrations (Journalism, Broadcast, and Multimedia Storytelling & Production) within the Journalism BA, plus the Advertising & Public Relations Major. Graduate education consists of the Master of Arts in Journalism and Strategic Media with thesis and special project tracks. Complementary offerings include a minor (available online or on-campus) and two microcertificates in Writing for Modern Mass Media and Strategic Media Skills. Beyond academics, the school operates extensive student media including UATV (television), KXUA 88.3-FM (radio), The Arkansas Traveler (newspaper), The Razorback Yearbook, Hill Magazine, KUAF 91.3 FM (NPR affiliate), and Main Hill Media (advertising agency). The Center for Media Ethics and Literacy provides research and professional development support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Center for Media Ethics and Literacy: An integral center within SJSM that fosters the study and practice of journalistic principles of accuracy, fairness and service to the public in editorial/news, broadcast, radio and television, and advertising and public relations.

Products and services

• Journalism Concentration Undergraduate concentration offering traditional news and editorial curriculum preparing students for careers as reporters, editors, and photojournalists.
• Multimedia Storytelling & Production Concentration Undergraduate concentration preparing students for careers in video and audio storytelling, corporate and nonprofit PR content, and digital mass communication.
• Broadcast Concentration Undergraduate concentration training students in reporting, shooting, editing, and producing for careers as anchors, news producers, radio professionals, and broadcast journalists.
• Advertising & Public Relations Major Undergraduate major offering curriculum in publicity, advertising, marketing principles, and public affairs to prepare students for careers in mass communications and agency work.
• Master of Arts in Journalism and Strategic Media Graduate degree program offering interdisciplinary study in multimedia storytelling, news narratives, and strategic media with traditional thesis or special projects tracks.
• Microcertificate in Writing for Modern Mass Media Online microcertificate program focusing on writing skills for contemporary mass media platforms.
• Microcertificate in Strategic Media Skills Online microcertificate program covering strategic media competencies for professional development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates placed at major media outlets including National Geographic, New York Times, Politico, ESPN, CNN, Entertainment Tonight
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Arkansas (KUAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKUAF 91.3 FM is a public radio station and NPR affiliate licensed by the University of Arkansas, operated through the journalism school. The 100,000-watt station broadcasts 24 hours a day and employs recent alumni and current students while hosting student interns each academic term.
• Main Hill Media ClientsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain Hill Media is the student-run advertising agency that works with local and regional clients to craft advertising campaigns. The agency provides real-world experience for students while serving regional businesses.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of Texas at Austin Moody College of Communication: Large public-university communication college encompassing journalism, advertising/PR, and broadcast (including KVRX radio and student TV). Comparable scale (~1,000+ journalism majors), public-university funding, ACEJMC accreditation, and integrated broadcast/print student media operations.
• Indiana University The Media School: ACEJMC-accredited media school at a major public Big Ten university, offering journalism, broadcast, and media production concentrations with student media including WFIU NPR affiliate and Indiana Daily Student. Comparable in scale, public-university setting, and broadcast/multimedia curriculum breadth.
• University of Missouri School of Journalism: The world's first established school of journalism (1908), offering undergraduate and graduate journalism degrees with extensive student-media operations (KBIA-FM NPR affiliate, Columbia Missourian, KOMU-TV). Directly comparable ACEJMC-accredited J-school with similar broadcast, newspaper, and magazine training infrastructure.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Hussman School of Journalism and Media: Top-ranked ACEJMC-accredited J-school at a public research university, with broadcast, news-editorial, and strategic communication tracks plus student media (WUNC NPR affiliate, The Daily Tar Heel). Closely parallel in mission, accreditation, public-university structure, and NPR-affiliate broadcasting assets.
• University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism: ACEJMC-accredited journalism college at a major SEC public university with broadcast, journalism, advertising/PR, and emerging media programs plus student media (WUGA-FM, The Red and Black). Strong peer on regional flagship positioning, public-university funding model, and multi-platform student-media portfolio.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication: ACEJMC-accredited J-school at a flagship public university offering reporting, broadcast, and strategic communication tracks with student media. Similar in scale, public-university status, and curriculum structure (journalism + strategic communication concentrations).

Regional players

• University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information: Southeastern public-university college with journalism and media programs including student media (WRFL, The Kentucky Kernel). Comparable as a regional public-university J-school competitor for in-state applicants, but smaller and less specialized in broadcast operations than the Arkansas program.

Broad incumbents

• Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications: Top-tier, larger, privately-endowed communication school offering journalism, broadcast, and advertising/PR programs with extensive student media. Comparable in curriculum breadth and strategic-media focus, but operates at significantly larger scale and with broader name recognition.
• University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism: Major private-university school combining journalism and communication with broadcast and digital media programs (Annenberg Media). Comparable in offering journalism + strategic communication tracks, but at significantly larger scale and with substantially more resources.
• Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism: Elite private J-school with journalism, broadcast, and integrated marketing communications programs. Comparable in curriculum structure and strategic-media expansion but operates at a substantially higher brand and budget tier, serving as the upper-bound benchmark for ACEJMC-accredited programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/uarkjournalism
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/school-of-journalism-and-strategic-media-university-of-arkansas
• Instagraminstagram.com/uarkjournalism

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles29 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about School of Journalism and Strategic Media — University of Arkansas