School of Media & Communication

Undergraduate Courses:

     Fundamentals of Public Relations
     Public Relations Writing & Production
     Digital Tactics in Public Relations
     Public Relations Strategy & Planning
     Public Relations Management
     Understanding Media
     New Media Literacy 

Graduate Courses:

      Public Relations in Sport and Recreation
      Public Relations Writing for Sport and Recreation

Master of Journalism Degree – Marshall University, Huntington, WV, 1992
Concentration in Business Management
Thesis Research: Analysis of News Reporting During the Gulf War
Bachelor of Arts Degree – Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, 1983
Double Major in Public Relations and Communication
Minor in Military Science

Growing up in a military family, Ken Payne graduated from Western Kentucky University in 1983 with a double major in public relations and communication, and in 1993 from Marshall University with an M.A. in Journalism. Ken’s professional background is in government public affairs and corporate public relations having held positions as Public Affairs Officer for the 7^Th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington; Communications Coordinator for Breckenridge Ski Resort in Colorado; and Communications Manager for Keystone Ski Resort in Colorado. Ken’s professional experience also includes work in web development as New Media Manager for Vail Resorts in Colorado; and General Manager for Mountain Sports Interactive, then a division of AOL Time Warner.

Ken teaches Fundamentals of Public Relations, Public Relations Writing and Production, Digital Tactics in Public Relations, Public Relations Strategy and Tactics, and Public Relations Management at the undergraduate level, and Public Relations in Sport and Public Relations Writing for Sport at the graduate level. His current research interests focus on the acceptance and use of emerging technology in public relations. Ken has presented his research at the annual convention of the Public Relations Society of America; the annual convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication; and the International Public Relations Research Conference.

Innovative Strategies to Increase Newspaper Revenue - April 16, 2004, Western Kentucky University (Presenter).

•       Conference on Media Convergence: Cooperation, Collisions, and Change - October, 2005, Brigham Young University (Presenter)

•       E-Train Technology Conference - Fall, 2005, Western Kentucky University (Presenter)

•       Journalism Scholars Day - Fall, 2005, Western Kentucky University (Presenter)

•       Kentucky School Public Relations Association (KYSPRA) - November, 2006, Sloan Convention Center - Bowling Green (Presenter)

•       Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Online Editing Workshop - June, 2007, Western Kentucky University Presenter (Presenter)

•       Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Online Editing Workshop - June, 2008, Western Kentucky University Presenter (Project Evaluation & Critique)

•       AEJMC Mid-Winter Conference - February, 2008, Pittsburg, PA (Research Presenter)

•       AEJMC Convention - August, 2008, Chicago, IL (Research Presenter, Published in Convention Proceedings)

•       PRSA International Convention – October, 2008, Detroit, MI (Research Presenter/Discussant). 2008 Educators Academy Research Session.

•       International Public Relations Research Conference – March, 2009 (Research Presenter/Discussant).