About Me


I'm a Communication Researcher (Ph.D.) and Author of "The TECHLASH and Tech Crisis Communication." I'm a former Research Fellow at the University of Southern California (USC), Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

While working in the tech industry (as a Tech Public Relations Specialist and a Tech Journalist), I recognized how little the creation of the tech agenda is being studied. So, I decided to apply my tech background to research the various forces shaping the tech discourse - especially around emerging technologies.

A decade of research resulted in an in-depth book about tech journalism and tech PR. The book provides the necessary historical background and uncovers the underlying causes of the backlash against Big TechAdditionally, the Tech PR Template for Crises outlines how companies attempt to defend themselves. It formed a new conceptual claim entitled "Tech Crisis Communication" and revealed the various means by which companies consistently try to evade responsibility. 

Nirit Weiss-Blatt Venn Diagram Tech Journalism Tech Industry Academia


- My recent OpEds explored 
Big Tech's evolving policies (Newsweek)
Tech companies' infamous secrecy (Techdirt)
Amplifying the good/ a mirror for the ugly/amplifying the bad? (Techdirt)
The "Facebook Papers" and TECHLASH 2.0 (Techdirt)
The Crypto/Web3 craze (Techdirt)


Nirit Weiss-Blatt portfolio

- AI Panic Newsletter (Substack):


- I was quoted in:


- Recent podcast appearances: 


- My YouTube Video
"AI Hype - Explained." A 25-minute version of my presentation on "The Media Coverage of Generative AI."


I feel grateful that my research can add valuable data to those debated issues.

Research Interest


  • Expertise
Tech journalism; Tech public relations; Innovation & entrepreneurship

  • Theoretical Background
Communication theory (focus on Agenda Setting and Framing); Media effects; Public relations (including Crisis communication)

  • Empirical ResearchQuantitative & Qualitative Methods 
Content analysis; Big data analytics (including advanced statistical analysis methods); Media monitoring


Additional Skills


  • Newsroom: Editing news articles and OpEds (short-form and long-form), and investigative journalism

  • PR: Corporate communications strategy, product launching, media relations, event management, and crisis communication 


Education


  • BA in Communication, Honor Students Program (2003-2006). Magna cum Laude.

  • MA in Political Science (2007-2008).

  • Completion of MA Thesis (2009-2010).

  • Ph.D. (2011-2016) in Communication. 
Dissertation: Agenda-Setting, Two-Step Flow and Tech Blogs: The Role of Tech Bloggers in the Flow of Information.



Research Fellowship at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism


visiting research fellow at the University of Southern California.

The first year was in M{2e} Media, Economics and Entrepreneurship program. Hosts: Gabriel Kahn, professor of professional practice of journalism, and Prof. Chris Smith, clinical professor of communication.

The second and third years were in CPR - The Center for Public Relations. 
Host: Fred Cook, professor of professional practice and Chairman of global PR agency Golin.

Logos

I was also involved in the Annenberg Innovation Lab (AnnLab) and the Annenberg Networks Network (ANN) research group, directed by Prof. Emeritus Peter Monge and Prof. Emeritus Janet Fulk. Members' list.

For more details, here is the fellowship announcement (USC-Annenberg site, February 22, 2018): M{2e} hosts visiting research fellow Dr. Nirit Weiss-Blatt

Tech News in light of the emerging Techlash 


Despite the growing importance of tech coverage, there has been a need for more theoretical and empirical work on the interplay between tech journalism and tech PR in general and in light of the Techlash in particular. 


I formed a "Tech PR" research group to help with some aspects of the wider Techlash research project. 
DrTechlash Google Search meme

Work Experience 


  • September 2023 - Present 
Investigative journalism on Substack - AI Panic.
A newsletter about Artificial Intelligence hype and panic.
Since its launch, its posts have received hundreds of thousands of views.
It was named one of the "Top AI Newsletters of 2024."

  • April 2021 - Present 
Contributor to tech news site Techdirt -- Providing analysis on all things Techlash.
I have also been published in Newsweek magazine, The Daily Beast, Tech Policy Press, and Big Think.

  • March 2020 - Present 
Book Author: "The Techlash and Tech Crisis Communication." Emerald Publishing Limited (UK). www.TechlashBook.com

  • August 2017 - August 2020 
Visiting Research Fellow at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California (USC) in LA. 

  • 2018: Instructor: Direct Research: Tech PR.
USC Master of Strategic Public Relations
Initiated the research group and had a substantial influence on the research steps. The main topics: Big tech companies' crisis communication due to their accumulated tech scandals.

  • October 2016 - February 2017 
Instructor. Teaching the course "Innovation Journalism" at the Technion International School, International School of Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management. 
Initiated this new course and developed the entire content of the syllabus.
Among the topics: Tech journalism, the dos & don'ts of working with the media.
I gave all the lectures to the International students and graded their final projects - startup pitch deck & media pitch.

Wordcloud. Innovation Journalism_course_Nirit Weiss Blatt.

  • 2015 (December)
Guest Lecturer at the Haifa University Startup & Entrepreneurship Club. 
Helped the various students to develop their startup pitches.

  • August 2014 - June 2015 
Guest Lecturer at the Technion International School, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Program. Instructor: Prof. Harry Yuklea.
Helped the International students to develop their startup pitches and prepared them for VC meetings.

  • 2010 - August 2017 
Tech Journalist. The journalistic work included covering Israel's innovation ecosystem, tech conferences and interviewing tech executives from startups and International companies. 
Then, Deputy-Editor. Editing numerous tech stories - news articles and OpEds (both short-form and long-form) from freelancers, entrepreneurs, and academic scholars.

  • 2011 - 2017 
Research Associate at The Center for Internet Research, University of Haifa.

  • 2011 (August)
Teaching Assistant at the University of Haifa, Faculty of Management, Department of Business Administration (MBA students), in the framework of the course: "Information and Community." Instructor: Prof. Sheizaf Rafaeli.
Among the topics: Virtual Community, Wisdom of Crowds, Interactivity, and Multitasking. 

  • 2010 (July-November)
Teaching Assistant at Ariel University, School of Communication, New Media Track, in the framework of the course: "The Digital Media Elements." 
Instructor: Prof. Azi Lev-On.
Among the topics: Blogs, Online Privacy, Google, Wiki, Social Networking, Online Political Campaigns, and Mobile. 

  • 2005 – 2009
Tech Public Relations Specialist 

- The fields included: Telecom, Consumer electronics & gadgets, Biomed (pharmaceuticals & medical devices), Nonprofit organizations, and Tech regulation (e.g., ISOC-IL, Israel Internet Association).
- The services included corporate communications strategy, product launching, media relations, event management (e.g., Biomed conferences with more than 6,000 participants from over 45 countries), and crisis communication. 

  • 2001 - 2003
Military Service: Served as an officer at the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Northern Command (responsible for the northern borders with Syria and Lebanon). 
Main activities: Budgetary management: Developed and implemented a three-year budget plan. Managed funding for facilities and supplies for training soldiers from various military units. Guided combat soldiers and command officers. Developed a curriculum to improve their skills. Planned and executed training events.



Awards


2013
: Award for "Novelty of Presentation or Ideas" at the Early Stage Researchers Colloquium organized by The Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society in Berlin (November 21, 2013). 


Grants


  • 2015: Yedioth Haifa scholarship for academic excellence (of the doctoral dissertation) 

  • 2011-2014: Excellence scholarships for Ph.D. students from the Graduate Studies Authority, University of Haifa.

  • 2003-2006: Excellence scholarships for all 3 years of B.A., Yezreel Valley College.





1 comment:


  1. Hi, I'm a Colombian teacher who has read your great article "The AI Doomers' Playbook," and I would like to ask if it would be possible for my team of researchers to translate it into Spanish. We want to share your work with the Latin American audience, which may include many believers in doomsday scenarios.

    ReplyDelete