History

The Center on Communication Leadership & Policy was created in 2007 through a generous grant from the Annenberg Foundation — which also established the Annenberg Family Chair in Communication Leadership, held by Geoffrey Cowan, CCLP director.

Mission

Guided by Ambassador Walter Annenberg’s view that communication affects all aspects of society and should be used in the public interest, the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy (CCLP) unites visionary ideals with impactful scholarship and practical applications. By conducting cutting-edge research and gathering some of the sharpest minds in the field, CCLP fosters breakthrough insights into some of today’s most challenging issues. Based at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, CCLP provides hands-on learning opportunities for students and professionals, building the next generation of communication leaders. CCLP also conducts academic research and organizes programs for scholars, policymakers and industry leaders to develop ways in which communication leadership, policy, technology and mobile innovation can contribute to a more informed electorate and a better world.

The rapidly changing technological, sociological and regulatory landscape opens additional avenues for information even as it challenges longstanding media infrastructure. Navigating this shifting terrain to reach higher ground requires the guidance of seasoned and innovative scholars and professionals provoking thought and discourse, and educating policymakers, industry leaders and the public. A trusted source of research and analysis, dialogue and instruction on communication leadership, CCLP is helping shape the future of news, information and civic discourse.

We live in the midst of a disruptive and exhilarating era for civic discourse, news and information. The keys to the future will be in the hands of those who understand and practice communication leadership — the ability to communicate effectively across multiple platforms and to adapt with agility to new technologies, changes in government regulation, and the continually evolving global marketplace.

Geoffrey Cowan
USC University Professor
CCLP Director