Faculty/Staff Directory

James

Ford

fordja1@gvsu.edu

Assistant Professor

275 LSH

616-331-8731

Journalism, Broadcasting, and Digital Media

James is an award-winning producer and director with over 35 years of experience in video production and broadcasting. His diverse background includes work in broadcast television, film, corporate and educational video, as well as multi-camera live production. Since 2001, he has balanced freelance production with teaching.

He has a notable history with PBS, spending nine years on the Michigan Out-of-Doors Television show as a shooter, editor, writer, and on-camera talent, eventually becoming its executive producer in 1998. He also created and produced the acclaimed West Side Stories Television program, an award-winning student-produced news magazine that aired on WGVU in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Since 2014, James has taught at Grand Valley State University, focusing on the intersection of journalism, broadcasting, digital media, and education. His current research takes an autoethnographic approach to examine journalism education while his grant work involves a collaboration with PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs and GVSU's College of Education and Community Innovation, the School of Communications, GVSU Charter Schools, and WGVU.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time outdoors in Michigan with his wife and two children.

Fall '24 Office Hours

Mondays - 3 pm - 4:30 pm via Zoom
Wednesdays - 1:30 pm - 3 pm, 275 Lake Superior Hall, GVSU Allendale campus

Please contact me for an appointment

Introduction to Broadcasting

Broadcast News I

Broadcast News II

Producing for Broadcast

TV News Workshop (co-curricular with West Side Stories)

Issues in Journalism

M.S., Communication, Grand Valley State University

M.Ed., Educational Technology, Grand Valley State University

B.S., Michigan State University

Back