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Amy R. Franzini, PhD
- Associate Professor
Media Expertise:
- Communications & Marketing
Affiliated Programs
Education
- PhD, Mass Media & Communication (2003)
Temple University (PA)
About Me
I have been a member of the Widener faculty since 2001. I teach a wide variety of courses that are in the core curriculum for Communication Studies and Digital Media Informatics students, such as Communication Theory, Interpersonal Communication and Senior Capstone; as well as other fun and interesting courses such as Film Analysis and Media & Children.
I strongly believe that learning is a lifelong endeavor, and I'm consistently learning from my students. I have a passion for communications and teaching, and more than anything I want to help my students to find their own personal passions. I find the Senior Capstone experience especially rewarding, being able to work one-on-one with students on passion projects that will help them take the next step into their careers.
- Pop culture
- Mass media and children
- TV and parents/parenting
- TV and teens
- TV history
- Communication theories
Research Interests
I research the intersections between children, parents, and the media. This research varies from studying children's television content to helping parents use media as teachable moments with their children.
Media Expertise
- Television and children
- Portrayal of childhood and parenting in the media
Publications
- Franzini, A.R. (2012). Children and media in parenting. In V.B. Cvetkovic & D.C. Olson (Eds.), Portrayals of children in popular culture: Fleeting images (15–26). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
- Franzini, A.R. (2008). Is school cool? Academics and intelligence on teen television. In L. Holderman (Ed.), Common sense: Intelligence as presented on popular television. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
- Franzini, A.R. (2007). The world of teenage television: A longitudinal content analysis of prime-time programming most popular among adolescents. The National Social Science Journal, 27(2).
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
National Communication Association (NCA), Popular Culture/American Culture Association (PCA/ACA)
News
In the Media
- Yahoo! Entertainment
How quirky female crime-solvers took over TV
Associate Professor Amy Franzini is quoted in this article, which initially appeared in The Washington Post, about strong and quirky female leads in TV crime shows.
- Far & Widener
Far & Widener Podcast, Episode 8: Dr. Amy Franzini on Using Television as a Tool for Caregivers to Build Relationships with Children and to Foster Healthy Social Development
In this episode, Marcus Bagby, associate director of alumni engagement, interviews Amy Franzini, associate professor of communication studies and research expert who focuses on popular media. They discuss how caregivers can intentionally watch television and movies with their children, tweens, and teens to help build healthy relationships, find teachable moments, and create a safe space to communicate about difficult issues. They also talk about the need for moderation, curation, and independence with children's screen time.
- Real Clear Investigations
Left Foot In, Children's TV Is Doing the Wokey Pokey
As children's programming has recently seen a shift to include topics and conversations related to sex, gender fluidity, race and other complex issues, Amy Franzini, associate professor of communication studies and digital media informatics, says the effectiveness of such messages depend on a number of variables.
- Greatist
How to Stop Doom Scrolling Every Time You Go Online
Amy Franzini, an associate professor of communications, provides advice on how to avoid the vast amount of negative information and news online.
- Romper
Why Do Kids Love Olaf So Much? The Answer Is So Sweet, Experts Say
Amy Franzini, associate professor of communications studies, explains why the animated character Olaf from Frozen is so popular among young children.
Noteworthy
- College of Arts and Sciences
Communication Studies Professor Publishes Article in The Journal of Children and Media
Amy Franzini, associate professor of communication studies and digital media informatics, recently had an article, entitled "U.S. coviewing during COVID" published in a special issue of The Journal of Children and Media. The special issue was entitled "Children, Media, and the Clarity of Crises in 2020."
The article focused on how the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 provided a unique opportunity for Franzini to interweave her personal family life, as a parent, and professional life, as a researcher of teachable moments in children's media.