Faculty Profiles
John Paul
(217) 244-2366
27 Gregory Hall
johnpaul@illinois.edu
Education
M.S., Journalism, University of Illinois
B.S., Radio-TV, University of Illinois
Affiliations
Lecturer, Department of Journalism
Course Specialties
Television News Reporting
Television Newscast Production
Television Anchoring/Reporting
Broadcast Reporting and Writing
Broadcast Voice and TV Presentation
Background
John Paul is a lecturer in the Department of Journalism at the University of Illinois and an Emmy-nominated producer. He was formerly with WILL-TV, where he served as a producer and on-air host for political debates, campaign coverage, and other public affairs shows.
John has taught broadcast journalism in the Department of Journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since 1985. He currently teaches Journalism 445, a course that teaches upperclassmen and graduate students how to produce TV news stories and a student TV newscast that is broadcast on UI-7, the cable television channel of the College of Media at Illinois. He also teaches a broadcast voice course.
John was previously a reporter, anchor, producer and, for a while, news director, at WCIA-TV (CBS) in Champaign.
Research/Creative Endeavor
Most recently, John hosted and produced a series of historical TV programs on WILL titled “Illinois Pioneers.” Among other things, the programs explored the City of Champaign’s 150-year history, including railroads, theaters, department stores, bootlegging and vice, streetcars, and U.S. presidents who visited the twin cities.
In 2008, John wrote and co-produced an hour long television documentary about the history of Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois, titled “True Illini Spirit.” The documentary received an Emmy nomination in the 2009 historical documentary category for the Mid-America Emmys. He was host and associate producer for a 2009 documentary, “Red Grange Remembers,” about Illini and Bears football legend Harold “Red” Grange. These documentaries aired on PBS affiliates in Illinois and the rest of the nation.