Eric Deggans Named Knight Chair in Journalism and Media Ethics at W&L The NPR personality, journalist and media analyst will assume the position in July.

By Brian Laubscher
March 12, 2025

Eric Deggans, television critic, media analyst and guest host with NPR, has been selected to serve as the next John S. and James L. Knight Chair in Journalism and Media Ethics at Washington and Lee University. Deggans, who will begin his appointment on July 1, replaces Aly Colón, who retired in June after 10 years in the position.

Deggans is a 35-year veteran in media and education, working in print media, television and radio, while also serving as an adjunct professor at four major universities. He is a member of the National Advisory Board for the Poynter Institute for Media Studies and is chair of the Media Monitoring Committee for the National Association of Black Journalists.

“Eric is one of the premier media critics in the country, as well as a tireless reporter and a mentor to numerous young journalists,” said Mark Coddington, associate professor of journalism and head of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications at W&L. “He has been a perceptive and penetrating voice on many of the most pressing ethical issues in media. Learning to apply ethical principles to difficult situations carefully has always been at the center of how we train journalists and media professionals at W&L, and Eric’s immense experience and expertise will be a phenomenal resource for our students. We can’t wait to have him investing in students and continuing to serve the journalism profession.”

At W&L, Deggans will teach the required Journalism Ethics and Media Ethics courses, as well as other courses. He will also organize and lead the department’s semiannual Ethics Institutes, at which visiting journalists, strategic communications professionals and students discuss ethics case studies from the professionals’ careers. Additionally, he is expected to lend a public voice on the issues and discussions of the day regarding ethics in journalism through various prominent media outlets.

“Eric is a world-class journalist, celebrated by his colleagues for his unique insights on popular culture and entrusted with service on institutional boards and prize committees in the industry,” said Dean of the College Chawne Kimber. “We look forward to the new vitality he will bring to our journalism ethics program and the practical education our students will benefit from.”

The Knight Chair and Program in Journalism Ethics at Washington and Lee was established in 1997 by an endowment from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the leading funder of journalism and media innovation. The program’s scope has since been expanded to explore ethical standards in accountability, credibility, privacy and other areas for all mass media professions.

“Eric is a terrific addition to the Knight chairs,” said Jim Brady, the Knight Foundation’s vice president of journalism. “The goal of the Knight Chairs of Journalism has always been to bring respected, experienced professionals into academia to benefit students as they seek to begin their own professional careers. Eric will uphold that long, proud tradition, and we’re thrilled he’ll be coming to Washington and Lee to teach media ethics.”

Deggans was hired as NPR’s first full-time television critic in 2013, offering commentary for all network shows, including “Morning Edition,” “Here & Now” and “All Things Considered.” He also participates in a variety of podcasts such as “Consider This,” “Life Kit,” “Code Switch,” “Pop Culture Happy Hour” and “It’s Been a Minute,” and he frequently produces written text for the NPR website.

“As a TV and media critic, I’ve spent most of my career urging journalists and media outlets to uphold the highest ethical standards in their work. However, I always realized an important part of that process involves teaching young journalists the proper standards in the first place,” said Deggans. “At W&L, I have found a school with energetic and talented students, significant classroom resources, amazing faculty colleagues and an institution with a storied history, where we can chart the future of journalism ethics and media practice. With indispensable and substantial support from the Knight Foundation, I am thrilled by the opportunity to work with the school and students on defining the shape of journalism ethics in the modern age while continuing to work with NPR as a critic-at-large, keeping a significant presence in the world of daily journalism.”

Deggans joined NPR after 18 years as a television and media critic at the Tampa Bay Times, where he was a member of the editorial board and a pop music critic. He has also worked at the Asbury Park Press, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Press. He served as a contributor and media analyst for MSNBC and NBC News, and he guest-hosted “Reliable Sources,” a media analysis show produced by CNN. His writing has appeared in such esteemed publications as The New York Times, the Washington Post and Politico. In 2012, he authored the book “Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation.”

Deggans has extensive teaching experience, including significant stints as an adjunct professor at Duke University and Indiana University Bloomington, where he received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award. He’s also lectured at the University of Tampa, Eckerd College, Harvard University, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, DePaul University, Loyola University, The George Washington University, California State University and the University of Southern California. Additionally, he serves as a guest instructor at the Poynter Institute.

Revered for his work, Deggans was inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame in 2024 and received the Irene Miller Vigilance in Journalism Award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida in 2021. He’s also been named one of the country’s 15 Most Influential Media Reporters by the website Mediaite and was named to Ebony Magazine’s Power 150 List in 2009.

Deggans earned bachelor’s degrees in journalism and political science from Indiana University Bloomington.

The Knight Chairs in Journalism program is the nation’s oldest and largest network of endowed chairs in journalism. Knight chairs are top professionals who bridge the newsroom-classroom divide with innovative teaching, major outreach projects and their own journalism. Since the program began in 1990, chairs have been helping journalism education — and journalism itself — find a better future in the digital age. There are 26 chairs at 23 universities, including free press chairs at Yale and Missouri.