OXFORD, Miss. – Ralph Braseth, longtime director of student media at the University of Mississippi, has been named to a new post assisting with media relations in preparation for the Sept. 26 presidential debate.
Braseth is to serve as special assistant to the vice chancellor for university relations and media coordinator. His new duties include acting as university spokesperson. A member of the journalism faculty, Braseth also plans to continue his teaching responsibilities and assist with the university’s fundraising efforts following the debate.
“The presidential debate is the single greatest public relations event in the history of the university, and I am excited about the opportunity to use my experience and media contacts to tell the Ole Miss success story,” Braseth said. He has served as director of student media for 10 years. The new position is Braseth’s fifth career move at Ole Miss in 20 years.
“That wide range of experience is one reason we asked him to join the University Relations team,” said Gloria Kellum, vice chancellor for university relations. “Ralph knows Ole Miss inside and out. He’s been at Ole Miss as a student, a staffer, a faculty member and an accomplished administrator. When speaking for the university, it’s critical to have a person who knows the institution so well.”
Larry Ridgeway, vice chancellor for student affairs, praised Braseth’s efforts to bring the Daily Mississippian newspaper and its Web site, Rebel Radio, Newswatch television station and the Ole Miss yearbook together in a concept called media convergence.
“Our student media center is at the forefront of the changes that are occurring in the student communications field and Ralph has been the champion of those changes,” Ridgeway said. “The personal relationships he has developed with all 16 TV stations and 125 newspapers in the state will serve the entire university well.”
Before coming to Ole Miss, Braseth worked as a journalist at six television stations as reporter, producer and photojournalist. He has won more than 70 state, regional and national journalism and PR awards, including a first-place National Mark of Excellence Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, The National Owl Award for coverage on aging issues, a collegiate Emmy and more than a dozen awards from the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters.
In 2005, the Mississippi Press Association presented Braseth with its President’s Award for his service to the community newspaper profession.