Mirjana Pantic

Hello!

My name is Mirjana Pantic. Friends, family, and those who have trouble pronouncing my name call me Mira. 

I am an Assistant Professor in Digital Journalism in the Department of Media, Communications, and Visual Arts at Pace University, New York. So far, I have taught several courses on the Pleasantville campus and online, both graduate and undergraduate. They include Communication Research (graduate), Industry, Theory and Practice (graduate), Persuasive Communication, Censorship and the Mass Media, The Global Newsroom, News Reporting, and Introduction to News Media. 

Prior to joining Pace University in September 2017, I spent three years in the graduate program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where I worked as a teaching associate and research assistant. The courses I taught at UT include Multimedia Storytelling and Media Writing. I defended my dissertation at the University of Tennessee in May 2017 and officially obtained a Ph.D. in Communication and Information in August 2017. The dissertation titled, "Uses and Gratifications of Digital Media: The Case of Live Blogs" earned the outstanding dissertation award from the University of Tennessee's College of Communication and Information.

I am originally from Serbia, where I spent 12 years working as a journalist and editor-in-chief for diverse media organizations. After leaving the media industry, I moved to the United States in 2014, to get a Ph.D. in communication. 

Aside from teaching at the universities, my focus has also been on conducting research on contemporary journalism practices. As a journalist who has had a chance to work both in the traditional and digital media environment, I became passionate about exploring changes in journalism brought to us with the introduction of Web 2.0. Hence, my primary research interest is to explore the impact of the digital era on journalism, public sphere on the Internet, new practices in storytelling, social media, and active audiences. One particular digital media phenomenon that has occupied my attention is a live blog - a contemporary journalistic genre which modified journalism practices by delivering information on the events in real-time and encouraging users to engage in the storytelling. My passion for live blogs has translated into a doctoral dissertation which explored the live blogging process from uses and gratifications perspective. 

During my career in journalism, I have worked for several Serbian news outlets, including Novi Magazin weekly, BETA News Agency, Tanjug News Agency, Euractiv network, etc. I also worked for the San Francisco-based website AllVoices.com, as well as for the V.I.P. Daily News Report, designed for embassies situated in Belgrade. I have covered events related to Serbian politics, social issues, international problems, EU-related issues, corruption, abuse of power, etc. I was a successful journalist who received five awards in her career.

In addition, I attended many journalism training sessions including a course on Economic and Political Reporting from Southeast Europe, which took place in London in 2009 and was organized by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Several months later, under the sponsorship of the U.S. Embassy in Serbia and International Broadcasting Bureau - Voice of America, I spent a school year at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where I was a visiting scholar. As a journalist, I have attended many training and seminars in several European and U.S. cities including, but not limited to: Washington D.C., Brussels, Budapest, Bratislava, Belgrade, and London. 

Journalism awards and certificates

• Award given to the Novi Magazin for being among the five best news sites in Serbia and among 50 best websites in general in the country when I was serving as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the website (2014).
• The best report published in print media on the EU integration process. The awards are traditionally given by the Serbian EU Integration Office and the Delegation of the EU in Serbia (2011).
• Certificate for participating in a journalism program of study during the academic year 2009-2010 at the Department of Communication, Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois (2010).
• Certificate for distinguished performance in a Professional Development Year Program sponsored by the Voice of America's International Media Training Center and Bradly University (2010).
• Certificate of successful completion of the program Economic and Political Reporting from Southeast Europe. The certificate was granted by Thomson Reuters Foundation and a German foundation Robert Bosh Stiftung (2009).
• The best report published in print media on the EU integration process. The awards are traditionally given by the Serbian EU Integration Office and the Delegation of the EU in Serbia (2009).
• Award for excellence in investigative journalism. The annual award was granted by the Independent Journalist Association of Serbia and the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade (2009).
• Award for reporting on European regions. The award was granted by the European Movement in Serbia (2006).