author
Irving E. Fang
1929–2016
A longtime University of Minnesota journalism professor, he brought newsroom experience at Reuters and ABC News into a career devoted to teaching how media shapes public life. His books explored everything from news writing to the long history of communication, making big ideas feel clear and approachable.
1 Audiobook
The Used People Lot
by Irving E. Fang
About the author
Irving E. Fang was a journalist, teacher, and author who became professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota after nearly four decades on the faculty. Before and alongside his academic work, he built a career in journalism that included reporting and editing roles at Reuters and newspapers, and work with ABC News, where he was involved in political and election coverage.
His writing centered on journalism, media history, and communication. Among his best-known books are A History of Mass Communication and Alphabet to Internet, works that look at how new ways of sharing information change everyday life as well as public culture. He also wrote on news writing and produced books for younger readers.
Fang died in 2016 at age 87. He is remembered not only for his scholarship, but also for the way he connected professional media practice with the classroom, helping students understand both how journalism works and why it matters.