Dr. Arthur A. Raney, associate professor and director of doctoral studies in the School of Communication, has been invited to deliver a senior-scholar lecture at the Broadcast Education Association’s featured research symposium April 10 in Las Vegas.

BEA is one of the largest gatherings of broadcasting and cable educators in the world, and this year’s topic is “Media and Morality.” Raney, a leading media effects scholar, will speak about “Moral Complexity and Media Entertainment.”

“Narratives historically have told of righteous heroes battling evil villains.  Recently, though, other heroes — less pure and virtuous, more selfish or even mean — have become commonplace,” he said. “This talk will examine how viewer morality (among other factors) functions in the liking and enjoyment of these morally complex media characters.

The relationship between media and morality has been a lasting concern among broadcast scholars and practitioners. This symposium joins leading scholars in efforts to clarify both simple and complex processes that shape the reciprocal influences that connect media and morality. Invited panels, competitive papers, and a keynote address will set the course for future understanding of these connections.