Our Mission & Vision
The Edward R. Murrow Center for a Digital World, based at The Fletcher School, explores the intersection of media, cyberspace, and the state. Through a combination of original research, cutting-edge communications platforms, and provocative event series, The Murrow Center is driving the conversation on the digital revolution’s impact in the international system.
Our History
Inaugurated by Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, The Murrow Center was established in 1965 in honor of Edward R. Murrow’s distinguished reporting, incisive analysis of world news, and innovative leadership of the United States Information Agency. The Murrow Collection – more than 2,000 documents from Murrow’s library and papers – are housed in the Murrow Memorial Room at The Fletcher School and the Tufts University Archives, which also includes a collection of audio and video recordings from his many glory years at CBS News. The collection is emblematic of Murrow’s commitment to journalistic honesty, courage, and integrity.
Murrow’s legacy for the field of public diplomacy holds special relevance for Fletcher, where the term was coined in 1965 by then Dean Edmund A. Gullion. For five decades, The Murrow Center has built upon this idea, examining the dimensions of international relations beyond traditional diplomacy. These include the roles of major players such as the news and entertainment media, multinational corporations, and nongovernmental organizations.
As Murrow once led the nation in employing radio and then television technology, the Center today is a leader in digital studies. The focus is on analyzing the changing flows of digital information across borders, as well as the impact of those rapidly shifting changes on diplomacy, the news media, and global order. In addition to its intellectual mission, the Murrow Center teaches popular, practical communications skills to students. Faculty and visitors offer classes, workshops, and mentoring in multimedia skills such as opinion writing, video, podcasts, and user-friendly web design. Training in presentation skills are also offered, including on delivering slide shows, being interviewed on camera, and giving “Tedx” style talks.
The Murrow Center is proud to be a critical component of Fletcher’s mission to prepare the next generation of leaders across all sectors.