As 2016 draws to a close, several media outlets will take a retrospective look at the year’s events through their headlines and story content. The Wayne State University Office of Communications also is looking back to determine both the content of news coverage and geographical reach.
Media around the globe mentioned Wayne State University nearly 2,000 times this year, roughly six stories daily. We were mentioned in newspapers, magazines, television, radio and news websites on a 24/7 basis.
Major stories focusing primarily or exclusively on the university totaled 854 — an increase of 2 percent from 2015. Looking back over the last five years, there has been a 34 percent increase. These stories were often pitched or facilitated by WSU communications professionals.
News coverage extended from Detroit area dailies, television and radio to national media outlets such as the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fox News, ESPN, CNN, Newsweek, CBS News, ABC News, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Yahoo News and beyond the United States to several international outlets.
A sampling of major headlines included:
- Wayne State approves $1.4B housing partnership, will add 842 rooms
- $2.66 million NIH award to Wayne State University to improve asthma treatment outcomes in African American young adults
- Wayne State enjoys record fundraising year
- Wayne State University has first enrollment jump in 7 years
- Wayne State looks to future with groundbreaking for Mike Ilitch School of Business
- Wayne State receives NIH funding to advance brain aging research
- WSU research leads to algae treatment for blindness
- Wayne State awarded $15.7 million NIH grant to address HIV prevention among youth
- Patients rank Wayne State medical school grads 4th in nation
- Wayne State University researchers discover new source of mutations in cancer
- Wayne State University to study Flint water, health impacts
“As one of the nation’s leading research universities, we have a wide variety of topics to share with media,” said Matt Lockwood, director of communications. “It’s our job to seize these opportunities and both facilitate media requests and pitch story ideas that spread the good word about Wayne State.”