Michael A. Rizzo

Associate Professor
Michael Rizzo is the Director of the Journalism Program and an Assistant Professor at St. John’s University. He is also the former General Manager Manager/Executive Director for News and Sports at ABC News Radio, Executive Producer at ABC Sports Radio, a news writer, producer and sports director at ABC-TV News and Managing Editor at Fios1 News and News12. Professor Rizzo remains active in the news media to maintain his knowledge of industry trends. He is still affiliated with ABC News as a freelance managing editor, producer and writer and is a freelance reporter for The Tablet newspaper of the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Queens Courier newspaper. He has also written about teaching journalism for the Communicator, the newsletter of the Radio and Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). Under his leadership at ABC, ABC News and Sports Radio won numerous Edward R. Murrow awards from the RTDNA for writing, outstanding broadcasts and overall excellence. At ABC Radio, Rizzo was also the Executive Producer of The Fabulous Sports Babe Show and the syndicated Speaking of Sports commentary show by Keith Olbermann. Rizzo graduated from Fordham University with a BA in Communications where he was also the News Director at the school’s radio station, WFUV-FM. He also has an MBA from St. John’s University. He is the moderator for the St. John’s student chapter of Society of Professional Journalists, a board member of The Deadline Club, the New York City chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the New York State Coordinator for the RTDNA.

Teaching Interests

Experiential Learning, Citizen Journalism, Ethics and Objectivity in news reporting

Research Interests

Trends in modern journalism

Courses Taught

JOU
1000
INTRO TO JOURNALISM
JOU
1501
THE PRESS AND GOVERNMENT
JOU
2204
SPORTS BROADCASTING
JOU
2312
NEWS REPORT/WRIT TV & RADIO
JOU
2313
PODCAST & INNOVATIVE JOU TRNDS
JOU
3304
SPORTS WRITING
JOU
4600
INDEPENDENT STUDY
JOU
4601
INDEPENDENT STUDY
JOU
4602
INDEPENDENT STUDY
JOU
4702
BROADCAST NEWS REPRT PRACTICUM
JOU
4703
APPLYING JOU PRINCIPLES&SKILL