Dr. Alec Tefertiller

Degrees

• Ph.D. in Media Studies, University of Oregon (2017)
• Master of Arts in Communication - Mass Communication Studies, University of Houston (2014)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts in Motion Picture, Television, and Recording Arts, Florida State University (2000)

Research Interests

• New media technology, streaming media, social media, media audiences, digital advertising, entertainment media

Select Publications

• Tefertiller, A. C., Clink, K., & Sutton, D. (2025). I just want to watch something I can ignore: Motivations, gratifications, and mood management in background, ambient television. Psychology of Popular Media. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000584
• Tefertiller, A.C., Olsen, K., Vasquez, R., & LaGree, D. (2024). You’re No Longer on Mute: Social Norms, Generational Differences, Working-from-Home, and the Acceptance of Workplace Communication and Collaboration Technologies. Southwestern Mass Communication Journal, 40(1), 1-16.
• Tefertiller, A.C. & Maxwell, L.C. (2023, online) Is it all binge-watching? Viewing patterns, audience activity, psychological antecedents, and media addiction in extended-time television viewing. The Social Science Journal.
• Tefertiller, A.C., Groshek, J., & Cozma, R. (2023). Megaphone or muzzle? The spiral of silence and candidate support on social media during presidential elections. The Journal of Social Media in Society, 12(2), 167-187.
• Tefertiller, A.C. (2020). Cable cord-cutting and streaming adoption: Advertising avoidance and technology acceptance in television innovation. Telematics & Informatics, 51, 101416.
• Tefertiller, A.C., Maxwell, L.C., & Morris, D.L. (2020). Social media goes to the movies: Fear of missing out, social capital, and social motivations of cinema attendance. Mass Communication & Society, 23(3), 378-399.
• Tefertiller, A. & Sheehan, K. (2019). TV in the streaming age: Motivations, behaviors, and satisfaction of post-network television. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 63(4), 595-616.
• Tefertiller, A.C. (2018). Like us on Facebook: Social capital, opinion leadership, and social media word-of-mouth for promoting cultural goods. Journal of Social Media in Society, 7(2), 274-296.
• Tefertiller, A.C. & Maxwell, L.C. (2018). Depression, emotional states, and the experience of binge-watching narrative television. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 26(5), 278-290.
• Tefertiller, A. (2018). Media substitution in cable cord-cutting: The adoption of webstreaming television. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 62(3), 390-407.

Accomplishments

• Head of AEJMC's Mass Communication & Society Division (2024-2025)
• President of the Southwest Education Council for Journalism and Mass Communication (2021-2022)
• Top Paper Awards: SWECJMC Symposium (Top Six, 2019, 2020, 2023); AEJMC Entertainment Studies Interest Group (Top Paper - Faculty, 2022, 2024); AEJMC Political Communication Division (Second Place – Faculty, 2021); AEJMC Media Management, Economics, and Entrepreneurship Division (First Place, 2019); BEA Interactive Media & Emerging Technologies Division (First Place - Debut, 2018); AEJMC Graduate Student Interest Group (Guido Stempel Award, 2016); AEJMC Public Relations Division (First Place - Teaching, 2016; Second Place – Teaching, 2024); AEJMC Mass Communication & Society Division (Second Place - Faculty, 2016)
• Top Abstract Awards: AEJMC Midwinter - Communication Technology Division (2019); AEJMC Midwinter – Media Management, Economics & Entrepreneurship Division (2019)
• Kappa Tau Alpha Top Scholar Award, University of Oregon (2017)

Background

• Web design and marketing professional specializing in web-based marketing strategy, graphic design, web design, copywriting, SEO, and web advertising
• Media production professional focused on web commercials, promotional videos, and corporate video productions
• Director of Technology for web-based school fundraising start-up
• Media and Resource Coordinator for nationwide college ministry

Year Started at Baylor

• 2020

Courses

• Advertising Management
• Research Methods in Mass Communication
• Strategic Communication Research
• Writing and Editing for On-Line Media

Interests & Hobbies

• Spending time with my wife, Bethany, and daughter, McKenzie
• Playing board games
• Binge-watching
• Photography and Filmmaking

Favorite Thing about Teaching

“There’s nothing better than helping students realize they are capable of producing creative, engaging, and inspiring work.”