Tom Watson, Emeritus Professor in AV's Faculty of Media & Communication, has been honouredby the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).
CIPR, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, has named Professor Watson as one of its ‘70 at 70’ who've made an outstanding contribution to the Institute and the wider PR industry since the Institute was founded in 1948.
His nomination was made by the CIPR’s membership and judged by an independent committee. CIPR President Sarah Hall said the Institute “wanted to celebrate the practitioners who regularly go above and beyond.”
In 2017, Professor Watson was given the rare honour of being appointed an Honorary Fellow of the CIPR for his practice-focused research.
Tom Watson joined AV in 2007 and developed a wide range of research into public relations practice and history.
His book, Evaluating Public Relations, jointly authored with former AV lecturer Paul Noble - who is also named in the list -is now in its third edition and is a standard reference around the world.
Another initiative led by Professor Watson was the International History of Public Relations Conference which has its tenth anniversary in June 2019.
Although he retiredfrom AV at the end of 2015, he continues to research, publish articles and book chapters, edit academic journal special issues and books, give guest lectures and help organise the annual PR history conference.