Libraries Hosts Launch of “Champions of the Fifth Estate: Sol Taishoff and Broadcasting Magazine”
Syracuse University Libraries will celebrate the launch of “Champions of the Fifth Estate: Sol Taishoff and Broadcasting Magazine,” a new publication on the editor and trade magazine that helped shape the broadcasting industry, with an event and panel discussion on Thursday, November 5, 2026, from 1:30 to 3 pm in Bird Library’s Peter Graham Scholarly Commons (Room 114). The event is free and open to the public and CART services will be provided. Attendees are asked to register in advance.
“Champions of the Fifth Estate: Sol Taishoff and Broadcasting Magazine,” was published by the Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) with funding from the Taishoff Family Foundation. In addition to print, the publication will be available through SCRC’s storytelling initiative, Access Audio, as an extended audio edition, and as an open access e-book through SURFACE, Syracuse University’s institutional repository. The publication traces Sol Taishoff’s commitment to broadcasters’ First Amendment rights as journalists, the launch of the trade magazine, Broadcasting, and the industry’s friction with newspaper publishers. It also explores broadcasters’ opposition to federal regulation, including the FCC, their preference for a commercial model, and the broader cultural and political impact of broadcasting, including the rise and evolution of popular radio and television shows. “This work is an entry point into the history and impact of Sol Taishoff and Broadcasting magazine," said SCRC Director Nicolette A. Dobrowolski. "We hope it inspires researchers of all levels to explore further the many stories behind the broadcasting industry’s growth and evolution, from its earliest days to today.”
Following brief launch remarks, a panel will discuss the evolution of broadcasting in America and its impact on politics and popular culture. The panel will be moderated by Professor Robert Thompson, Director, Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture; Trustee Professor of Television, Radio, Film; Newhouse School of Public Communications. Dubbed a "pop culture ambassador" by the Associated Press, Robert Thompson has contributed to hundreds of radio and TV programs and publications. Thompson is the general editor of an ongoing series of books about television published by Syracuse University Press. He is the former president of the National Popular Culture Association and lectures across the country about television and popular culture. Esteemed panelists include:
- Professor Roy Gutterman, Professor of Communications; Director of Tully Center for Free Speech, Newhouse School of Public Communications. Gutterman is an expert on communications law and the First Amendment. He worked as a reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer covering local and state government, crime, legal issues and general news, then later clerked for a New Jersey Superior Court judge and practiced business and general litigation. He also holds a courtesy appointment at the College of Law. He writes and speaks on media law, free speech, the intersection between courts and journalists and legal education issues.
- Professor Keonte Coleman, Assistant Professor of Broadcast and Digital Journalism, Newhouse School of Public Communications. Coleman's scholarly interests explore the intersections of journalism, leadership, representation in media, sports communication and higher education. He is co-author of “Complete Guide to Television, Field, and Digital Producing,” a comprehensive textbook on news production. He is the creator and host of the YouTube podcast “Breaking News with Media Leaders,” which provides insights for students and early-career professionals through conversations with leaders in journalism and academia.
- Mitch Gelman, President and Chief Executive Officer at WCNY. Gelman is an experienced media executive and Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist who has led innovation and catalyzed growth in news, education, entertainment and digital technology divisions across public and private sector organizations. Before joining WCNY, Gelman served as chief technology officer at the Newseum, where he helped the Washington D.C.-based group expand its commitment to using emerging technology to promote, explain and defend the five freedoms of the First Amendment. He has worked in both digital and traditional media, including as a reporter at New York Newsday, Editor in Chief at ESPN.com, Senior Vice President at CNN.com and Vice President of Digital Product at the Gannett Company.
- James Baxter, University of Maryland, Coordinator Mass Media and Culture, Special Collections, University Archives. Baxter currently works in archives and is an adjunct instructor. Prior to the University of Maryland, he was manager and buyer for an independent bookstore, and owner and editor of a bi-weekly community newspaper. Baxter’s research interests involve the history of media and journalism in transition: from radio to television in the 1950s and from all platforms to the web today.