Kevin Finch Associate Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications

Kevin Finch

Reid 301
540-458-8218
finchk@wlu.edu
Curriculum Vitae

Kevin Finch covered some of the biggest stories of our lifetime, managed TV newsrooms and wrote and produced network documentaries before turning to teaching full-time. He was in Washington, DC on 9/11 and covered the first anniversary of the attacks in New York. Kevin also covered the Senate vote following President Clinton's impeachment, a presidential inauguration, several political conventions and the bombing of Centennial Olympic Park during the Atlanta Olympics.

He was news director for two large market TV stations, supervising staffs of up to 80 full-time journalists. He wrote and/or produced documentaries for Discovery, TLC and other networks and local stations. Kevin also served as founding president of the Indiana Debate Commission, the first such organization to organize and produce televised debates for statewide offices. He has taught journalism and broadcasting as an adjunct instructor at the University of Indianapolis and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Education

M.A., Public Affairs Reporting, University of Illinois-Springfield

B.S., Radio-Television, Magna Cum Laude, Murray State University

Teaching

Current and recent courses:

  • JOUR 345 Media Ethics
  • JOUR 356, In-depth Reporting
  • JOUR 344, Ethics of Journalism
  • JOUR 101, Intro to Mass Communications
  • POL 203, State and Local Government
  • JOUR 258, Beat Reporting
  • JOUR 362, Producing for Broadcast and Online Media
  • JOUR 162, Broadcast Announcing Practicum
  • JOUR 266, Cross-Cultural Documentary Filmmaking
  • JOUR 338, The Documentary
  • JOUR 180, Politics, the Press and the Public (First-Year Seminar)

Selected Publications

  • "America's Radio Centennial," Communicator, the RTDNA online magazine, Aug. 5 ,2020
  • "Taking control: Why and how to start a debate commission in your state, Communicator, the RTDNA online magazine, June 26, 2019"
  • "Finch: Virginia needs a state debate commission," The Roanoke Times, Sept. 5, 2018
  • "More Social, Less Media, Communicator, the RTDNA online magazine, July 9, 2018
  • "LETTER: Debate commission puts neutrality first," Indianapolis Business Journal, May 18, 2018
  • "It's late fall and I really should be back at school," Communicator, the RTDNA online magazine, October 18, 2017
  • "David Louie's 45 years in TV News," Communicator, the RTDNA online magazine, May 24, 2017
  • "The Man behind the newsletter," Communicator, the RTDNA online magazine, March 15, 2016
  • "The Revolution is being televised," Communicator, the RTDNA online magazine, August 5, 2015
  • "Deflategate: Anatomy of a Scoop," Communicator, the RTDNA online magazine, January 29, 2015
  • "Enter the Plural Generation: Newest generation turns 18." Communicator, the RTDNA online magazine, August 27, 2014
  • "Rocking Your Morning News: CBS builds on hard news approach." Communicator, the RTDNA online magazine, March 11, 2014
  • "Radio News on More Than a Shoestring:" Communicator, the online RTDNA magazine, March 23, 2011
  • "Going Far to Explore a Local Story." Nieman Reports, Harvard University, Winter 2007
  • “Indiana’s Failed Cameras in the Courts Pilot Project.”  TuneIn, Illinois Broadcasters Association (Web newsletter), Two installments, Spring 2007
  • "Three Things to Remember About Resume Tapes." The Quill, Society of Professional Journalists, March 2006
  • "Positive Reinforcement: Be upbeat (and honest) when speaking at colleges." The Communicator, RTNDA, June 2005

 

Recent Documentaries

  • Wes Bound: The Genius of Wes Montgomery, the first-ever film documentary on jazz guitar genius Wes Montgomery. Nationally distributed in 2024 by APT, American Public Television, representing more than 200 public TV stations and statewide networks, reaching 76% of the national television audience. Also on pbs.org. 
  • Triton: America's Deep Secret, the formerly classified true story of the only submarine to circumnavigate the earth submerged. World premiere: Official Selection, Silicon Beach Film Festival, 2018. Broadcast premiere, Connecticut Public Television (a regional network reaching into four states).
  • A Writer's Roots: Kurt Vonnegut's Indianapolis. World premiere: WFYI-TV, Indianapolis, 2015. Distributed nationally on American Public Television. Official Selection: Heartland Film Festival, 2016.