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DAN AMERNICK
dpamerni@syr.edu
1304-34 Ivy Ridge Road
Syracuse, NY 13210
(301) 785-5228
EDUCATION
Ph.D.

Syracuse University
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
Ph.D. Candidate, Mass Communications
Advisor: Dr. Robert Thompson

Syracuse, NY

M.A.

Syracuse University
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
Mass Communications
Advisor: Dr. Robert Thompson

Syracuse, NY
Class of 2013

B.A.

Emerson College
Mass Communications Production
Minor: Psychology & Sociology

Boston, MA
Class of 1992

Expected Graduation

Spring 2016

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
COM 107 Communications and Society
Spring 2015
Instructor
Taught introductory mass communications course to 50 freshmen and sophomore
level students
Adapted and customized syllabus for course
Delivered lectures on development of mass communication media and theory
Graded research paper assignment
Advised and mentored students on coursework
COM 107 Communications and Society
Instructional Associate
Supervisor: Dr. Brad Gorham
Guest lecturer for section on TV sitcom production
Wrote and graded weekly current events quizzes
Graded midterm and final exams

Fall 2014

TRF 637 Telecommunications Law and Policy

Spring 2013
Instructional Associate
Supervisor: Prof. Roy Gutterman
Guest lecturer for section on contractual rights of actors, writers and directors
Graded legal memo assignments

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Kept track of attendance and class participation
TEACHING INTERESTS
Television History
TV Production
Digital media storytelling/production
Large Introductory Courses (Mass Communications and Society)
Screenwriting/Writing for Television
Comedy Writing
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Amernick, D. (2015). The Iconic Sitcom: Adapting the Hariman & Lucaites Template for
TV. To be presented at the 101st Annual Conference of the National Communication
Association, Las Vegas, NV
Amernick, D. (2013). The Not-Ready for Archive Players: The Lost Seasons of Saturday
Night Live. Presented at the 99th Annual Conference of the National Communication
Association, Washington, D.C.
Amernick, D. (2013). You Got Spunk!: Revisiting The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Presented at the Annual National Conference of the Popular Culture
Association/American Culture Association, Washington, D.C.
Amernick, D. & Finnerty, A. (2012). May Self-Efficacy Be With You: Self-Efficacy in
Star Wars Online Fan Communities. Presented at the 2012 Annual Conference of the
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Chicago, IL.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Popular Culture
TV History
Broadcast Industry
RESEARCH ASSISTANT EXPERIENCE
Summer Research Assistantship
Summer 2015
Professor: Dr. Dennis Kinsey
Researched visual communication methodologies for conference presentation
Developed Q-sort research project regarding viewer perceptions of Batman

Summer Research Assistantship

Summer 2014
Professor: Dr. Suzanne Lysak
Dr. Michael Cremedas
Researched topic of social media policy in newsrooms
Wrote literature review on social media newsroom policy
Performed content analysis on social media use in local newscasts
Research Assistantship
Fall 2012-Spring 2013
Professor: Dr. Michael Schoonmaker
Edited video for Smart Kids research project
Wrote interview questions for participants in Smart Kids project
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Various Companies Las Vegas, Nevada
July 2008-July 2011
Freelance Consultant
Worked as the Las Vegas reviewer/monthly columnist for TheaterMania.com, a leading
theater information website covering over 40 markets.
Wrote print, online and on-air material for SOAPnets national ad campaigns, including the
Sara Evans SoapNation tour, and the One Life to Live summer promotion.
Consulted with LightSpeed VT, a global interactive training company, on training module
material.
SOAPnet.com/The Walt Disney Co. - Burbank, California
Sept. 2005-July 2008
Editorial Consultant
Worked with Creative Marketing Department as copywriter on various in-house promotions,
including the top rated Relative Madness original television series.
Wrote all copy for SOAPnets exclusive online broadband network, SOAPNETIC.
Wrote and edited daily recaps of multiple daytime dramas, including hit series The Young
and the Restless and Days of our Lives, for SOAPnets web site.
SoapCity.com/Sony - Los Angeles, California
Dec. 2003-Nov. 2004
Producer
Produced official web sites for popular daytime dramas The Young and the Restless, The Bold
and the Beautiful, As the World Turns, and Guiding Light.
Oversaw and managed production flow of multimedia features, including online video and
photo galleries.
Wrote, researched, and edited features and news articles for all the CBS soap operas web
sites.

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Worked with CBS publicity department to ensure that the web sites provided current
information and photos of the shows actors.

SoapCity.com/Sony - Los Angeles, California

Dec. 2001-Dec. 2003
Associate Producer
Wrote and edited headlines, features, and news articles for Sony Pictures Entertainments
official soap opera web sites.
Inputted episodic daily updates, weekly updates, teasers, taglines, and weekly previews into
Content Management System.
Edited all copy generated from producers and publicists.
Created writing style guide for producers and programmers, developing the consistent voice
for the web site.
THE NANNY/Tri-Star Studios Los Angeles, CA
Sept. 1995-May 1999
Writer/Story Editor
Wrote and revised episodic scripts while working on the writing staff for Emmy-nominated,
Top 20 Nielsen Rated CBS television situation comedy.
Oversaw post-production sweetening.
Wrote and punched-up On-Air promotional material for prime time and off-network
syndication TV spots.
HONORS & AWARDS
S.I. Newhouse Graduate Fellowship Grant: $23, 135

2013-2014

Newhouse conference travel fund: $532.60

2013-2014

Newhouse conference travel fund: $930.00

2012-2013

S.I. Newhouse Graduate Award: $8,561.00

Fall 2011

SKILLS
Media post-production: Final Cut Pro X
Research: Excel, SPSS, NVivo
Other: Word, PowerPoint
SERVICE & MEMBERSHIP
Service
President, Newhouse Doctoral Student Association
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University

Graduate Student Representative, Graduate Program Committee

S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University
Professional Membership
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)
National Communication Association (NCA)
Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association (PCA/ACA)
REFERENCES
Dr. Robert Thompson
MA/PhD Advisor
Trustee Professor
Director, Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
Syracuse University
215 University Place
Syracuse, NY 13244
(315) 443-4077
rthompso@syr.edu
Dr. Lawrence Mason
Supervisor/Teaching Mentor
Professor
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
Syracuse University
215 University Place
Syracuse, NY 13244
(315) 443-4015
lmason@syr.edu
Dr. Brad Gorham
Supervisor for Instructional Associate Position
Chair, Communications Dept.
Associate Professor
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
Syracuse University
215 University Place
Syracuse, NY 13244
(315) 443-1950
bwgorham@syr.edu