Interview with Jim Macnamara, Professor of Public Communication
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On August 6, Dr Jim Macnamara stepped into his role as UTS' new Professor of Public Communication. Possessing 30 years of experience, Jim is no stranger to the world of Public Communication, with his career in professional communication practice spanning journalism, public relations, advertising and media research. His movements in the academic world include guest lectures at UTS and his position as an Adjunct Professor and a member of the Advisory Board of the Australian Centre for Public Communication since 2005.
Formerly Group Research Director of Media Monitors, Jim says that working in media and public relations has given him an understanding of people and audiences and his academic studies have contributed a broad understanding of areas such as psychology, sociology, politics, audiences and semiotics which are key to being a successful public communicator.
Professor Jim Macnamara
HSS: What are you looking forward to bringing to this role?
Jim: I hope to bring a combination of professional experience as well as academic qualifications - because I come from a non-traditional background, I have worked across journalism, public relations, advertising as well as media research over a 30-year career, so that gives me a practical background and an up-to-date knowledge of the industry.
HSS: You began your career as a journalist before moving into a number of public relations roles and founding MACRO Communication. What made you veer off the journalism track and into public communication?
Jim: In my case, it ended up being purely accidental because I was called up for service in the Australian army and, as a young journalist, I went in and did my Army time and after completing regimental service the Department of Defence offered me a job in Defence Public Relations.
So I ended up spending almost two years doing military service and a further three years as an Army and Defence Public Relations officer. So it was a combination of good luck and accident.
HSS: Going back to your experience of doing military service, do you think that there's a work ethic or something beyond your experience within the public communication sector that you can bring to young Public Communication students at UTS?
Jim: A combination of work ethic and passion - overall the key element I think is passion. I went into journalism because I was a young person who had a very keen interest in current affairs and how society is shaped and how we are influenced by communication ... That same passion is carried through in working in public relations and public communication. My work ethic probably began growing up on a farm where we worked long hours, so work ethic has never been a problem for me.
I think and hope that young people today recognise that hard work is one of the key attributes to succeed. Knowledge is another key attribute, and also passion - and I remain today passionate about what I do in areas like new media. New media is one of the areas in which I'm very keen to pursue further research at UTS.