As one of the pioneers who launched CourtTV and the founding editor-in-chief of MSNBC.com, Merrill Brown has demonstrated a strong commitment to bring the news into the 21st century. 

Brown continues to break new ground in his role as Director of the newly opened School of Communication and Media, where he applies his past experience in digital and traditional media.  He gained extensive media expertise as founder and principal of MMB Media LLC and as former business reporter for The Washington Post. 

As the first national editorial director of News for the 21st Century, a Carnegie Corp-Knight Foundation initiative on the future of journalism, he made significant advancements in the area of journalism education by expanding a five-school pilot program into a twelve-school program at Arizona State University.  He has also served as an advisory board member of the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism and a member of the Knight Foundation Journalism Advisory Committee.