Mike Wirth is Dean Emeritus of the UT Knoxville College of Communication & Information (CCI) and Professor of Journalism and Electronic Media (2021-present). He served as CCI Dean from 2006-2021. Prior to Tennessee, he was Director of the School of Communication (1994-2006) and Chair of the Department of Mass Communications & Journalism Studies (1985-2006) at the University of Denver.

He conducted research under grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Association of Broadcasters and served as a visiting professor to one Australian and two Chinese universities. The Broadcast Education Association selected Mike as its 2021 Distinguished Education Service Award winner and the International Radio and Television Society Foundation honored him as its 2000 Frank Stanton Fellow.  

His articles have appeared in the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, the Journal of Media Economics, and The International Journal on Media Management, and he serves on the editorial boards of these journals. He co-edited the first edition of the Handbook of Media Management and Economics. 

His degrees are from Michigan State University (PhD/Mass Media ‘77 & MA/TV & Radio ’74) and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (BS/Ag Journalism/Ag Honors ’73)