Shumate Honored with National Award for Research on JFK’s Televised Press Conferences
Dr. Rich Shumate, an assistant professor at UA Little Rock’s School of Mass Communication, has received national recognition for his groundbreaking research on the media strategies of President John F. Kennedy.
The American Journalism Historians Association (AJHA) recognized Shumate with the William David Sloan Award for Top Faculty Paper during its 44th annual convention held Sept. 26 in Long Beach, California.
Shumate was recognized for his paper, “Taking It to the Screen: How JFK’s Live TV Press Conferences Created a New Paradigm for the Bully Pulpit.” The paper, which is part of a book project, examines how Kennedy’s unprecedented use of live televised press conferences between 1961 and 1963 reshaped presidential communication and political media strategy.
“Kennedy was the first president to allow live television broadcasts of his news conferences, a milestone in how television reshaped political communication,” Shumate said. “From January 1961 until his death in November 1963, he held 64 press conferences that were broadcast live.”
Through his research, Shumate demonstrates how Kennedy used these events to extend the president’s “bully pulpit,” shaping news agendas, building public support for his policies, and showcasing his communication skills to strengthen his political influence. His work also highlights the deliberate and elaborate planning that took place behind the scenes as well as the enormous media interest the events attracted, with as many as 300 to 400 journalists in attendance.
“What might surprise people is the amount of time and effort Kennedy and his press staff put into these press conferences,” Shumate said. “They were deliberate about the staging, to the point of having a custom-built lectern made. And the briefing materials Kennedy was given to prepare at times ran to more than 50 pages.”
Shumate’s paper draws heavily from primary source materials housed at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, including video recordings and archival documents. He has reviewed about three-fourths of Kennedy’s press conferences so far and expects to complete the remainder of his research in 2026 as he continues work on a full-length scholarly book, which he plans to finish in 2027.
The award is particularly meaningful for Shumate because of its namesake.
“I was honored to receive this recognition from AJHA,” he said. “The award for top faculty paper is named in honor of David Sloan, a giant in our field who literally wrote the book on media history. I appreciated being associated with his legacy of excellence by my peers.”
Shumate, who joined the UA Little Rock faculty in August after teaching at the University of Central Arkansas, is no stranger to the campus. He is an alumnus who earned his master’s degree in journalism from UA Little Rock in 2014 before completing a Ph.D. in mass communication at the University of Florida in 2018. His research focuses on news media history and political communication, and he is especially looking forward to teaching a media history course during the spring 2026 semester.
Founded in 1981, the American Journalism Historians Association works to advance education and research in mass communication history, raise scholarly standards, and promote the study of media history as a vital component of understanding society. Shumate has been an active member of the organization since 2013 and has previously served on its national board.