BIOGRAPHY OF DONNA L. HALPER author, educator, media historian, radio consultant
Donna Halper is a respected and experienced media historian, whose research has resulted in appearances on Chronicle (WCVB, Channel 5 in Boston), Voice of America, PBS/NewsHour, National Public Radio/Weekend America, New England Cable News, History Channel, ABC Nightline, WBZ Radio (Boston), WGBH-FM (Boston), WBUR-FM (Boston), WATD-FM (Marshfield MA), WIBC (Indianapolis), and WNYC-FM (New York). She has been quoted in a number of newspapers, magazines, books and encyclopedias-she has six essays in the Biographical Encyclopedia of American Radio, about pioneering women and minorities in early radio. Ms. Halper is the author of five books, the most recent of which is "Boston Radio 1920-2010," a history of Boston radio in words and pictures. Her previous book, "Icons of Talk: The Media Mouths that Changed America," a history of talk shows, was published in late 2008. She is also the author of the 2001 book, "Invisible Stars: A Social History of Women in American Broadcasting." And she wrote a chapter for Michael Keith's 2008 book "Radio Cultures"-- about how radio brought women's issues into the public sphere. Ms. Halper also does free-lance writing for magazines and newspapers; her essays have appeared in both scholarly and mainstream publications. She has been a reviewer, fact-checker, and copy editor for encyclopedias, journals, and educational foundations. In addition, authors have hired her as a researcher for books they were writing. Among the places where Ms. Halper's work is acknowledged are books about Boston's 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire, the life of journalist Nancy Dickerson, and the Brinks Robbery.
Ms. Halper attended Northeastern University in Boston, where she was the first woman announcer in the school's history, broadcasting a nightly show on the campus radio station beginning in October 1968. She completed a BA, M.Ed, and MA at Northeastern, and went on to have a successful career in broadcasting, including more than 25 years as a radio programming and management consultant in markets of all sizes, both college and commercial stations, all over North America. She has hired and trained staffs, worked with and developed talent, helped to choose or improve formats, conducted music and market research, and helped her client stations to get better ratings. Prior to becoming a consultant, she spent thirteen years as an announcer, music director and assistant program director in four major markets.
In addition to Ms. Halper's long career in both radio and print, she is well-known for discovering the rock group Rush, who dedicated their first two albums to her. She is seen four times in the 2010 documentary about the band, "Beyond the Lighted Stage."
In 2008, Ms. Halper was hired as an Assistant Professor of Communication at Lesley University, Cambridge MA, where she has been helping to build a new media studies program; she also advises the student news-blog, the Lesley Public Post, which she helped to create. Prior to Lesley, she spent 18 years as an instructor at Emerson College in Boston, where she taught in the Journalism Department and in the Institute for Liberal Arts. Her expertise is in training future journalists and broadcasters, as well as in teaching about ethics, media stereotypes, and social history. In 1995, she was named Emerson's Instructor of the Year.
After many years away from being a student, Ms. Halper returned in 2002 to work on her PhD. She wrote her dissertation, on how early radio changed American society, and in May 2011, she received the PhD from the Communications Department at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. From 2002-05, she also taught communication and media courses at UMass/Amherst, including "Analyzing Media" and "Media Ethics," and was nominated twice for the Distinguished Teaching Award; in 2005, she was one of the finalists.
Since 1984, Ms. Halper has been the advocate for an adult with autism; she has tutored him, and helped him to learn to speak; and along with her husband, she continues to be part of his support system. She has also been a Big Sister and a mentor. In her spare time, Ms. Halper collects stamps, old magazines, post-cards, and books that relate to her research in media history. She continues to do presentations and give talks on such topics as media history, women's history, and popular culture at museums, schools, and historical societies.
phone: 617-786-0666; cell: 617-653-9321; fax: 617-786-1809; e-mail DLH@donnahalper.com
website : www.donnahalper.com
Donna Halper is a respected and experienced media historian, whose research has resulted in appearances on Chronicle (WCVB, Channel 5 in Boston), Voice of America, PBS/NewsHour, National Public Radio/Weekend America, New England Cable News, History Channel, ABC Nightline, WBZ Radio (Boston), WGBH-FM (Boston), WBUR-FM (Boston), WATD-FM (Marshfield MA), WIBC (Indianapolis), and WNYC-FM (New York). She has been quoted in a number of newspapers, magazines, books and encyclopedias-she has six essays in the Biographical Encyclopedia of American Radio, about pioneering women and minorities in early radio. Ms. Halper is the author of five books, the most recent of which is "Boston Radio 1920-2010," a history of Boston radio in words and pictures. Her previous book, "Icons of Talk: The Media Mouths that Changed America," a history of talk shows, was published in late 2008. She is also the author of the 2001 book, "Invisible Stars: A Social History of Women in American Broadcasting." And she wrote a chapter for Michael Keith's 2008 book "Radio Cultures"-- about how radio brought women's issues into the public sphere. Ms. Halper also does free-lance writing for magazines and newspapers; her essays have appeared in both scholarly and mainstream publications. She has been a reviewer, fact-checker, and copy editor for encyclopedias, journals, and educational foundations. In addition, authors have hired her as a researcher for books they were writing. Among the places where Ms. Halper's work is acknowledged are books about Boston's 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire, the life of journalist Nancy Dickerson, and the Brinks Robbery.
Ms. Halper attended Northeastern University in Boston, where she was the first woman announcer in the school's history, broadcasting a nightly show on the campus radio station beginning in October 1968. She completed a BA, M.Ed, and MA at Northeastern, and went on to have a successful career in broadcasting, including more than 25 years as a radio programming and management consultant in markets of all sizes, both college and commercial stations, all over North America. She has hired and trained staffs, worked with and developed talent, helped to choose or improve formats, conducted music and market research, and helped her client stations to get better ratings. Prior to becoming a consultant, she spent thirteen years as an announcer, music director and assistant program director in four major markets.
In addition to Ms. Halper's long career in both radio and print, she is well-known for discovering the rock group Rush, who dedicated their first two albums to her. She is seen four times in the 2010 documentary about the band, "Beyond the Lighted Stage."
In 2008, Ms. Halper was hired as an Assistant Professor of Communication at Lesley University, Cambridge MA, where she has been helping to build a new media studies program; she also advises the student news-blog, the Lesley Public Post, which she helped to create. Prior to Lesley, she spent 18 years as an instructor at Emerson College in Boston, where she taught in the Journalism Department and in the Institute for Liberal Arts. Her expertise is in training future journalists and broadcasters, as well as in teaching about ethics, media stereotypes, and social history. In 1995, she was named Emerson's Instructor of the Year.
After many years away from being a student, Ms. Halper returned in 2002 to work on her PhD. She wrote her dissertation, on how early radio changed American society, and in May 2011, she received the PhD from the Communications Department at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. From 2002-05, she also taught communication and media courses at UMass/Amherst, including "Analyzing Media" and "Media Ethics," and was nominated twice for the Distinguished Teaching Award; in 2005, she was one of the finalists.
Since 1984, Ms. Halper has been the advocate for an adult with autism; she has tutored him, and helped him to learn to speak; and along with her husband, she continues to be part of his support system. She has also been a Big Sister and a mentor. In her spare time, Ms. Halper collects stamps, old magazines, post-cards, and books that relate to her research in media history. She continues to do presentations and give talks on such topics as media history, women's history, and popular culture at museums, schools, and historical societies.
phone: 617-786-0666; cell: 617-653-9321; fax: 617-786-1809; e-mail DLH@donnahalper.com
website : www.donnahalper.com