A Note from the Editor-Select

Abstract

In January 2004, we start the transition of editorship for the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media. I feel greatly honored with the 2005-2008 appointment and the bestowal of trust involved with editing the leading journal of our discipline. We are coming upon our 50th Anniversary in BEA and the Journal of Broadcasting. The year was 1955, and our first editors are names you'll remember: Robert E. Summers, John M. Kittross, and Christopher H. Sterling. We are deeply indebted to these early editors who established the foundation for our journal as one of the premier publications of scholarly research. I pledge to follow that tradition. As you read this note, I'm just beginning to review manuscripts as editor-select. My first issue will appear March 2005, when I assume the editor's role. During this transition, editor Thomas R. Lindlof (University of Kentucky) continues to publish articles for his term, and he's teaching me the process. I don't foresee a lot of change in my tenure as editor. I think we have the finest journal in the field. The articles published represent a diversified spectrum of interests, disciplines, and methodologies. This variation strengthens all of us, as well as our discipline. It is my intention that JOBEM remain an intellectual leader as we will stay the course of excellence. As always in such transitions, there will a few changes on the editorial board. The purpose of the board remains to provide a collective body of national and international expertise. The board remains strong in disciplines of quantitative research. I have also invited qualitative scholars to join the board and have worked to maintain a large pool of reviewers from all disciplines. Really, the most important decision an editor makes is the assignment of reviewers to a manuscript. It is the quality of the editorial board and manuscript reviewers that have maintained, and continues to maintain, the high quality of our journal. One of my goals as editor is to affirm our current quantitative submissions while at the same time encouraging more qualitative submissions in history, criticism, and law. I'd like to invite variety in our subject matter and our methodological approaches. So, you'll notice a few changes in the Guidelines for Submission of Manuscripts. Manuscripts may submitted in APA, MLA, or The Chicago Manual of Style. This is our first step. I hope this flexibility will encourage more research from our historical, critical, and legal scholars. Upon a manuscript's acceptance the Publications Committee still mandates that the publication style APA and must prepared, by the author, in accordance with the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American psychological Association. You'll notice that I've also edited the length considerations. I don't want to discourage longer submissions; however, I do want to encourage more submissions. Thus, succinctness is highly encouraged. I know how important each word seems, but it has been my own experience that my manuscripts have always been improved by a good dose of editing for brevity. I totally agree with our previous editors who have worked hard to maintain a short manuscript evaluation turnaround time. I will work to maintain no more than a three month period where possible. Having said that, I'd like to provide a few words of advice and encouragement to our younger scholars and those looking anew at JOBEM. I want to encourage new and young scholars to consider our Journal--your quality work is paramount. Having reviewed many manuscripts over the years, I'd like to say to you, be persistent, polite, accommodating. I pledge that your manuscripts will reviewed by scholars who are leaders in our field. I ask you to remember that these scholarly reviewers are often the busiest of our colleagues, these are productive people with national reputations. They review your material without compensation or rewards of any kind. …