Assistant Professor

M.A. Political Management, The George Washington University
B.A. UNC-Chapel Hill, Journalism and Mass Communication. Double major in Political Science.

Ryan Thornburg is an assistant professor with a special interest in online journalism and the future of journalism. He came to the school in July 2007.

Before coming to UNC, he spent his career in the newsroom, focusing on online journalism. Most recently, he was the managing editor of USNews.com, the online arm of U.S. News & World Report. He also served as a managing editor for Congressional Quarterly’s Web site, www.cq.com, and the national/international editor for the Washington Post’s Web site, www.washingtonpost.com.

His work in online media contributed to several professional awards, including seven EPpy awards for his work with washingtonpost.com. The EPpy Awards competition honors Internet sites affiliated with the media industry. Thornburg and his staff also have been finalists for competitions by the Online News Association.

He also has worked professionally as a producer for washingtonpost.com, managing election data, writing articles and producing breaking news. He has served as a classroom guest speaker, journalism panelist and participant for numerous media organizations.

Read Thornburg's blog at www.futureofnews.net.

Office phone: (919) 962-4080
Office location: 219 Carroll Hall
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