Eric Deggans
Eric Deggans is NPR's first full-time TV critic.
Deggans came to NPR in 2013 from the Tampa Bay Times, where he served a TV/Media Critic and in other roles for nearly 20 years. A journalist for more than 20 years, he is also the author of Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation, a look at how prejudice, racism and sexism fuels some elements of modern media, published in October 2012, by Palgrave Macmillan.
Deggans is also currently a media analyst/contributor for MSNBC and NBC News. In August 2013, he guest hosted CNN's media analysis show Reliable Sources, joining a select group of journalists and media critics filling in for departed host Howard Kurtz. The same month, Deggans was awarded the Florida Press Club's first-ever Diversity award, honoring his coverage of issues involving race and media. He received the Legacy award from the National Association of Black Journalists' A&E Task Force, an honor bestowed to "seasoned A&E journalists who are at the top of their careers." And in 2019, he was named winner of the American Sociological Association's Excellence in the Reporting of Social Justice Issues Award.
In 2019, Deggans served as the first African American chairman of the board of educators, journalists and media experts who select the George Foster Peabody Awards for excellence in electronic media.
He also has joined a prestigious group of contributors to the first ethics book created in conjunction with the Poynter Institute for Media Studies for journalism's digital age: The New Ethics of Journalism, published in August 2013, by Sage/CQ Press.
From 2004 to 2005, Deggans sat on the then-St. Petersburg Times editorial board and wrote bylined opinion columns. From 1997 to 2004, he worked as TV critic for the Times, crafting reviews, news stories and long-range trend pieces on the state of the media industry both locally and nationally. He originally joined the paper as its pop music critic in November 1995. He has worked at the Asbury Park Press in New Jersey and both the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Press newspapers in Pennsylvania.
Now serving as chair of the Media Monitoring Committee for the National Association of Black Journalists, he has also served on the board of directors for the national Television Critics Association and on the board of the Mid-Florida Society of Professional Journalists.
Additionally, he worked as a professional drummer in the 1980s, touring and performing with Motown recording artists The Voyage Band throughout the Midwest and in Osaka, Japan. He continues to perform with area bands and recording artists as a drummer, bassist and vocalist.
Deggans earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and journalism from Indiana University.
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From a banner year for a new generation of streaming platforms to historic inclusion and unexpected exclusions, NPR's Eric Deggans unpacks the 2021 Emmy nominations.
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Despite his longevity, O'Brien has always seemed like a host who never fit in easily on television – perhaps, at least in part, by design. He plans to debut a weekly variety show on HBO Max.
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Barry Jenkins' adaptation of Colson Whitehead's The Underground Railroad reaches us at a time when we are most prepared for its message, but severely challenged by its delivery system.
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The Tesla CEO got to cement his image as a celebrity with pop culture cachet, appearing with the SNL cast in silly sketches that promoted his pet projects and dressing up as a video game character.
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HBO's documentary on Tina Turner is presented as the 81-year-old singer's final word on her expansive life and career — a history she finds difficult to talk about.
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Brown has made Emmy history this year — nominated as best lead actor in a drama series for This Is Us and best supporting actor in a comedy series for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
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Political conventions are made for TV. But this year's Democratic National Convention was virtual only. NPR discusses how the first night played out for viewers.
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Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has made major strides for LGBTQ representation. However, she's come under scrutiny lately after reported allegations about how her staff is treated.
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Beyoncé's newest visual album, Black is King, was released yesterday on Disney+.
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A new HBO documentary explores the mental health challenges of Olympic athletes. The Weight Of Gold is deep and revealing. It is also problematically not diverse.
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P-Valley is a new drama on Starz about Black strippers working a club in the Mississippi Delta. It's one of the year's most provocative dramas.
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Cops, the popular TV show that was about to enter its 33rd season, has been canceled by the Paramount Network. It has been criticized for years for glorifying police and unfairly portraying suspects.