Spiro K. Kiousis, Ph.D., APR

Executive Associate Dean
Professor - Department of Public Relations

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Dr. Spiro Kiousis is executive associate dean for the College of Journalism and Communications and is a professor of public relations. He also served as interim dean from January until July of 2021. Previously, he served as chair of the Department of Public Relations from 2006-2012, was director of distance education for the College from 2010-2013, and was a University of Florida Research Foundation Professor from 2009-2011. From 2013-2014, he was selected as a SEC Academic Leadership Development Program fellow from Southeastern Conference universities and in 2021, he was selected as the Florida Public Relations Association Gainesville Chapter Professional of the Year. Throughout his academic career, he has produced over 190 refereed journal articles, book chapters, books, and conference papers/presentations. He holds a B.A. in mass media from the University of San Francisco, an M.A. in media studies from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin. His current research interests include political public relations, political communication, and digital communication. Specifically, this interdisciplinary research explores the interplay among political public relations efforts, news media content, and public opinion in traditional and interactive mass mediated contexts.

Dr. Kiousis has had articles published in several leading journals, including Communication Research, Journal of Communication, the Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics, Mass Communication & Society, Public Relations Review, Communication Yearbook, Communication Education, the International Journal of Public Opinion Research, the International Communication Gazette, Public Relations Journal, Journal of Public Relations Research, Journalism Studies, Journal of Media and Religion, Journal of Political Marketing, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Public Relations Journal, the Southwestern Mass Communication Journal, Journal of Communication Management, and New Media & Society. He also serves on numerous editorial boards and has presented papers to the International Communication Association, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, the National Communication Association, the World Association for Public Opinion Research, the American Association for Public Opinion Research, the Southwest Education Council for Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Public Relations Society of America.

Dr. Kiousis’ teaching areas include public relations campaigns, public relations strategy, public relations writing, persuasion theory and research, public relations management, and mass communication theory. He has professional experience in public relations, marketing, online journalism, and media production. He is a member of the graduate faculty, is a member of the Commission for Public Relations Education (CPRE), and has his APR credential from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Areas of Expertise

Political Communication, Public Relations Campaign, Research and Strategy, Strategic Communication

Education

Ph.D., University of Texas
M.A., Stanford University
B.A., University of San Francisco

News

• Spiro Kiousis Comments on the Democratic Party’s Possible Use of Alternative Media During Elections (December 3, 2024)
• He Says, She Says: Exploring Gender Bias in Political News Coverage (October 18, 2024)
• PR-Influenced Media Framing Can Help Alter International Perceptions of Nations (July 15, 2024)
• Multiracial Families in Advertising: Exploring the Impact on Emerging Adult Consumers (May 17, 2024)
• Study: Inclusion of Multiracial Families in Advertising Can Contribute to a Positive Attitude Toward the Ads and the Brand (April 18, 2024)
• All News About Spiro Kiousis

Publications

Refereed Journal Articles

Proverbs, P., Lan, X., Albishri, O., & Kiousis, S. (). Applying Care to Political Public Relations: Crisis Communications Following the Terrorist Attack in New Zealand. The Journal of Public Interest Communications, 5(1), 1. DOI: 10.32473/jpic.v5.i1.p1

Lan, X., Song, B., & Kiousis, S. (). Gamifying Public Engagement on Sustainability Issues: From Motivational Affordances to the Effectiveness of Symmetrical Public Relations. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 1-14. DOI: 10.1080/10447318.2023.2291612

Arceneaux, P., Albishri, O., & Kiousis, S. (). How Candidates Influence Each Other in Electoral Politics: Intercandidate Agenda-Building in Florida’s 2018 Midterm Election. Journal of Political Marketing, 1-24. DOI: 10.1080/15377857.2022.2040690

Arceneaux, P., Albishri, O., Anderson, J., & Kiousis, S. (2024). Dynamics of Campaign, Press, and Public Discourse in Electoral Politics. Journalism Studies, 25(2), 117-139. DOI: 10.1080/1461670x.2023.2289891

Shaughnessy, B., Albishri, O., Arceneaux, P., Dagher, N., & Kiousis, S. (2023). Morality on the ballot: strategic issue salience and affective moral intuitions in the 2020 US presidential election. Journal of Communication Management, 27(4), 582-600. DOI: 10.1108/jcom-01-2023-0006

Areceneaux, P., Albishri, O., Romanova, E., Alhaddadeh, H., Hendricks, B., & Kiousis, S. (2022). Election Mudslinging, from the Bayou to the Swamp: Assessing Agenda-Building in the 2019 Louisiana Gubernatorial Runoff Election.

Schmierbach, M., McCombs, M., Valenzuela, S., Dearing, J. W., Guo, L., Iyengar, S., Kiousis, S., Kosicki, G. M., Meraz, S., Scheufele, D. A., Stoycheff, E., Vargo, C., Weaver, D. H., & Willnat, L. (2022). Reflections on a Legacy: Thoughts from Scholars about Agenda-Setting Past and Future. Mass Communication and Society, 25(4), 500-527. DOI: 10.1080/15205436.2022.2067725

Lan, X., Tarasevich, S., Proverbs, P., Myslik, B., & Kiousis, S. (2020). President Trump vs. CEOs: a comparison of presidential and corporate agenda building. Journal of Public Relations Research, 1-17. DOI: 10.1080/1062726x.2020.1719494

Tarasevich, S., Khalitova, L., Arceneaux, P., Myslik, B., & Kiousis, S. (2019). Ethnic nationalism and gatekeeping in the European media. Fifty years of agenda-setting research, 3(1), 23-42. DOI: 10.1075/asj.18014.tar

Khalitova, L., Myslik, B., Turska-Kawa, A., Tarasevich, S., & Kiousis, S. (2019). He who pays the piper, calls the tune? Examining Russia’s and Poland’s public diplomacy efforts to shape the international coverage of the Smolensk crash. Public Relations Review, 101858. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2019.101858

Albishri, O., Tarasevich, S., Proverbs, P., Kiousis, S., & Alahmari, A. (2019). Mediated public diplomacy in the digital age: Exploring the Saudi and the U.S. governments’ agenda-building during Trump’s visit to the Middle East. Public Relations Review, 45(4), 101820. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2019.101820

Men, L. R., Yang, A., Song, B., & Kiousis, S. (2018). Examining the Impact of Public Engagement and Presidential Leadership Communication on Social Media in China: Implications for Government-Public Relationship Cultivation. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 12(3), 252-268. DOI: 10.1080/1553118x.2018.1445090

Ingenhoff, D., Buhmann, A., White, C., Zhang, T., & Kiousis, S. (2018). Reputation spillover: corporate crises’ effects on country reputation. Journal of Communication Management, 22(1), 96-112. DOI: 10.1108/jcom-08-2017-0081

Neil, J., Schweickart, T., Zhang, T., Lukito, J., Kim, J. Y., Golan, G., & Kiousis, S. (2018). The Dash for Gas. Journalism Studies, 19(2), 182-208. DOI: 10.1080/1461670x.2016.1181528

Zhang, T., Khalitova, L., Myslik, B., Mohr, T. L., Kim, J. Y., & Kiousis, S. (2018). Comparing Chinese state-sponsored media’s agenda-building influence on Taiwan and Singapore media during the 2014 Hong Kong Protest. Chinese Journal of Communication, 11(1), 66-87. DOI: 10.1080/17544750.2017.1386694

Omodior, O., Pennington-Gray, L., Holland, S., Thapa, B., & Kiousis, S. (2017). Chikungunya Disease Awareness Among U.S. Travelers to Caribbean Destinations. International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, 5(1), 20-27. DOI: 10.15171/ijtmgh.2017.04

Zhang, T., Khalitova, L., Myslik, B., Mohr, T. L., Kim, J. Y., & Kiousis, S. (2017). Comparing Chinese state-sponsored media’s agenda-building influence on Taiwan and Singapore media during the 2014 Hong Kong Protest. Chinese Journal of Communication, 1-22. DOI: 10.1080/17544750.2017.1386694

Zhang, T., Kim, J. Y., Mohr, T. L., Myslik, B. A., Khalitova, L., Golan, G. J., & Kiousis, S. (2017). Agenda-Building role of state-owned media around the world: 2014 Hong Kong protest case. Journal of Public Relations Research, 29(5), 238-254. DOI: 10.1080/1062726x.2017.1396988

Neil, J., Schweickart, T., Zhang, T., Lukito, J., Kim, J. Y., Golan, G., & Kiousis, S. (2016). The Dash for Gas. Journalism Studies, 1-27. DOI: 10.1080/1461670x.2016.1181528

Schweickart, T., Neil, J., Kim, J. Y., & Kiousis, S. (2016). Time-lag analysis of the agenda-building process between White House public relations and congressional policymaking activity. Journal of Communication Management, 20(4), 363-380. DOI: 10.1108/jcom-01-2016-0001

Schweickart, T., Neil, J., Kim, J. Y., & Kiousis, S. (2016). Time-lag analysis of the agenda-building process between White House public relations and congressional policymaking activity. Journal of Communication Management, 20(4), 363-380. DOI: 10.1108/jcom-01-2016-0001

Cheng, Z., Golan, G. J., & Kiousis, S. (2016). The Second-Level Agenda-Building Function of the Xinhua News Agency. Journalism Practice, 10(6), 744-762. DOI: 10.1080/17512786.2015.1063079

Kiousis, S., Kim, J. Y., Kochhar, S. K., Lim, H., Park, J. M., & Im, J. S. (2016). Agenda-building linkages between public relations and state news media during the 2010 Florida Senate Election. Public Relations Review, 42(1), 240-242. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2015.07.009

Cahyanto, I., Pennington-Gray, L., Thapa, B., Srinivasan, S., Villegas, J., Matyas, C., & Kiousis, S. (2016). Predicting information seeking regarding hurricane evacuation in the destination. Tourism Management, 52, 264-275. DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2015.06.014

Kiousis, S., Ragas, M. W., Kim, J. Y., Schweickart, T., Neil, J., & Kochhar, S. (2016). Presidential Agenda Building and Policymaking: Examining Linkages Across Three Levels. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 10(1), 1-17. DOI: 10.1080/1553118x.2015.1090441

Kim, J. Y., Kiousis, S., & Molleda, J. (2015). Use of affect in blog communication: Trust, Credibility, and Authenticity. Public Relations Review, 41(4), 504-507. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2015.07.002

Kiousis, S., Kim, J. Y., Ragas, M., Wheat, G., Kochhar, S., Svensson, E., & Miles, M. (2015). Exploring New Frontiers of Agenda Building During the 2012 US Presidential Election Pre-Convention Period. Journalism Studies, 16(3), 363-382. DOI: 10.1080/1461670x.2014.906930

McDevitt, M., & Kiousis, S. (2015). Active Political Parenting: Youth Contributions During Election Campaigns*. Social Science Quarterly, 96(1), 19-33. DOI: 10.1111/ssqu.12127

Kim, J. Y., Kiousis, S., & Xiang, Z. (2015). Agenda Building and Agenda Setting in Business: Corporate Reputation Attributes. Corporate Reputation Review, 18(1), 25-36. DOI: 10.1057/crr.2014.18

Kim, J. Y., Kiousis, S., & Xiang, Z. (2015). Agenda Building and Agenda Setting in Business: Corporate Reputation Attributes. Corporate Reputation Review, 18(1), 25-36. DOI: 10.1057/crr.2014.18

Kiousis, S., Kim, J. Y., Carnifax, A. C., & Kochhar, S. (2014). Exploring the role of the Senate Majority Leader's political public relations efforts. Public Relations Review, 40(3), 615-617. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.04.003

Cahyanto, I., Pennington-Gray, L., Thapa, B., Srinivasan, S., Villegas, J., Matyas, C., & Kiousis, S. (2014). An empirical evaluation of the determinants of tourist's hurricane evacuation decision making. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 2(4), 253-265. DOI: 10.1016/j.jdmm.2013.10.003

Rim, H., Hong Ha, J., & Kiousis, S. (2014). The evidence of compelling arguments in agenda building. Journal of Communication Management, 18(1), 101-116. DOI: 10.1108/jcom-05-2012-0044

Kiousis, S., Park, J. M., Kim, J. Y., & Go, E. (2013). Exploring the Role of Agenda-Building Efforts in Media Coverage and Policymaking Activity of Healthcare Reform. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 90(4), 652-672. DOI: 10.1177/1077699013503157

Schroeder, A., Pennington-Gray, L., Donohoe, H., & Kiousis, S. (2013). Using Social Media in Times of Crisis. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30(1-2), 126-143. DOI: 10.1080/10548408.2013.751271

Kim, J. Y., & Kiousis, S. (2012). The Role of Affect in Agenda Building for Public Relations. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 89(4), 657-676. DOI: 10.1177/1077699012455387

Books

Book Chapters

Lan, X., & Kiousis, S. (2023). Media Relations. In Public Relations Theory III (pp. 432-451). Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781003141396-29

Myslik, B., & Kiousis, S. (2019). Political communication in government relations. In Public Relations Theory: Application and Understanding.. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Strömbäck, J., & Kiousis, S. (2019). Defining and Mapping the Field of Theory and Research on Political Public Relations. In Political Public Relations (pp. 1-42). Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781351053143-1

Kiousis, S., Strömbäck, J., & Proverbs, P. (2019). Political Public Relations. In Political Public Relations (pp. 370-385). Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781351053143-18

Ingenhoff, D., Zhang, T., Buhmann, A., White, C., & Kiousis, S. (2018). Analyzing Value Drivers and Effects of 4D Country Images on Stakeholders’ Behavior Across Three Different Cultures. In Bridging Disciplinary Perspectives of Country Image Reputation, Brand, and Identity (pp. 281-310). Routledge.

Buhmann, A., Ingenhoff, D., White, C., & Kiousis, S. (2018). Charting the landscape in research on country image, reputation, brand, and identity: A trans-disciplinary overview. In Bridging Disciplinary Perspectives of Country Image Reputation, Brand, and Identity (pp. 15-24). Routledge.

White, C., Kiousis, S., & Buhmann, A. (2018). Epilogue: Bridging Disciplinary Perspectives about Country Image, Reputation, Brand, and Identity. In Bridging Disciplinary Perspectives of Country Image Reputation, Brand, and Identity (pp. 313-324). Routledge.

Presentations

Khalitova, L., Myslik, B., Turska-Kawa, A., Tarasevich, S., & Kiousis, S. (2017). The Rashomon Effect of an Air Crash: Examining the Narrative Battle over the Smolensk Disaster. Paper/Poster at AEJMC, Chicago, IL.

Ingenhoff, D., Buhmann, A., Zhang, T., & Kiousis, S. (2016). Exploring reputational spillover effects: How corporate crises affect their home country’s reputation. Paper/Poster at 2016 Congress for EUPRERA, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Zhang, T., Kim, J., Schweickart, T., Khalitova, M., Neil, J., Carroll, C., Golan, G., & Kiousis, S. (2016). The invisible moderators: Homophily thesis and agenda-building role of state-owned media in the 2014 Hong Kong Protest. Paper/Poster at Public Relations Division, minneapolis, MN.

Research

Dr. Kiousis principal research endeavors have been in the areas of political communication, political public relations, and new media. Collectively, this interdisciplinary research explores the interrelationships among political public relations efforts, news media content, and public opinion in traditional and interactive mass mediated contexts. In the area of political communication, his research focuses on the processes and consequences of agenda-setting using survey, content analysis, and experimental methodologies. In the area of political public relations, he has developed a complementary line of agenda-building research that probes how political public relations efforts impact news media content and public opinion. In research that synthesizes the areas of political communication and political public relations, he has scrutinized the role of civic communication campaign interventions in the political socialization of adolescents and their parents. Finally, in the area of new media, his scholarship centers on the concept of interactivity and how variations in online news and public relations messages influence audience perceptions. In conclusion, while each of these research streams advance knowledge in their respective areas, as a whole, they help improve our understanding of the relationship between communication and public opinion in democracy.

Specialization

Political public relations, political communication, digital communication, agenda building/setting, online public relations, framing, and persuasion

Courses

Syllabi from the current and three previous semesters:

• PUR 5507 - Persuasion Theory and Research - Fall 2024 (PDF)