CURRICULUM VITAE

Harsh Taneja
Assistant Professor
Department of Advertising (College of Media), University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Contact Information
222 Gregory Hall
810 South Wright St, Urbana, IL – 61801. Phone: 217-300-6238 (office)
harsht@illinois.edu, harsh.taneja@gmail.com (preferred)
http://harsht.wordpress.com

RESEARCH AND TEACHING INTERESTS

Audience Analysis, Audience Measurement, Media Economics, Media Industries, Global Media, Network Analysis

EDUCATION
PhD Northwestern University 2014
Media, Technology and Society
Dissertation: Media Consumption on the World Wide Web: Integrating Theories of Global Media Flows and Media Choice
to Explain Global Cultural Consumption
Committee: James Webster (chair), James Ettema, Edward Malthouse, Noshir Contractor (all Northwestern
University), Robert Ackland (Australian National University)
Outstanding Dissertation of the year (2014). International and Intercultural Communication, Division.
NCA. USA.
Best Dissertation Award. Department of Communication Studies. Northwestern University. USA.
MA Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad, (MICA) India
2006
Communication Management
BE University of Delhi, India. NSIT
2004
Electronics and Communications Engineering

EMPLOYMENT

Academic
Assistant Professor University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
August 2017 - Present
Emerging Media Department of Advertising (College of Media);
Institute for Communication Research
Assistant Professor University of Missouri
Jan 2014 – July 2017
Strategic Communication Missouri School of Journalism
Graduate Assistant Northwestern University
Sep 2009- Dec 2013
Department of Communication Studies

Industry
Manager Indian Express Newspapers
Oct 2008 – June 2009
Accounts Planning Audience Research and Sales Strategy, Print and Digital
Research Executive BBC, Global News
Dec 2006 – Aug 2008
Audience Insights BBC World News, World Service and BBC.com
Communications Planner ZenithOptimedia
Jun 2006 – Nov 2006
Strategic Media Planning Media Specialist Agency of Publicis Group
RESEARCH
Journal Articles (# Graduate Student , E- Equal Authorship)
1. Taneja, H., Wu, A. X., & Edgerly, S. (2018). Rethinking the Generational Gap in Online News Use: An Infrastructural
Perspective. New Media & Society, 1–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444817707348
2. Webster, J. G., & Taneja, H. (2018). Building and Interpreting Audience Networks: A Response to Mukerjee, Majo-
Vazquez & Gonzalez-Bailon. Journal of Communication, 68(3), E11–E14. Retrieved from
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqy024
3. Nelson, J. L#., & Taneja, H. (Forthcoming). The Small, Disloyal Fake News Audience: The Role of Audience
Availability in Fake News Consumption. New Media & Society.
4. Taneja, H. (2017). Mapping an Audience Centric World Wide Web: A Departure from Hyperlink Analysis. New Media
& Society, 1–18. Online First Version doi.org/10.1177/1461444816642172
5. Taneja, H. (2016). Using Commercial Audience Measurement Data in Academic Research. Communication Methods and
Measures, 10(2-3), 176–178. doi.org/10.1080/19312458.2016.1150971
6. Taneja. H & Webster. J.G. (2016). How Do Global Audiences Take Shape? The Role of Institutions and Culture in
Shaping Patterns of Web Use. Journal of Communication 66(2), 161-182
7. Wu, A.X. & Taneja. HE. (2016) Reimagining Internet Geographies: A User-Centric Ethnological Mapping of the
World Wide Web. Journal of Computer Mediated Communication 21(3), 230-246.
8. Chung. S# & Taneja.H. (2016). Reassessment of Audience in Public Relations Industry: How Social Media
Reshape Public Relations Measurements. Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal 17(1), 60-77
9. Taneja, H & Wu, A.XE .(2014). Does the Great Firewall Really Isolate the Chinese? Integrating Access Blockage With
Cultural Factors to Explain Online User Behavior. The Information Society 30 (5), 297-309
 Awarded ICA Outstanding Article Award, 2015
 Translated into Chinese as 哈希-塔納加、吳曉（2016）。〈防火牆真的讓中國與世隔絕了嗎？從整
合互聯網封鎖和文化因素的角度來解釋網絡用戶的使用習慣〉。《傳播與社會學刊》
(Communication & Society)，第35期
10. Taneja, H. & Viswanathan,V (2014).Still Glued to the Box? Television Viewing Explained in a Multi Platform Age
Integrating Situational and Individual Predictors. International Journal of Communication. 8(26)
11. Taneja, H. (2013). Audience Measurement and Media Fragmentation: Revisiting the Monopoly Question, Journal of
Media Economics, 26(4), 203-219.
12. Taneja, H & Mamoria, U. (2012). Measuring Media Use across Platforms: Evolving Audience Information Systems.
International Journal on Media Management, 14(2), 121-140
13. Taneja, H., Webster, J. G., Malthouse, E. C. & Ksiazek, T. B. (2012). Media Consumption across Platforms: Identifying
User-Defined Repertoires. New Media & Society, 14(6), 951-968
Revise & Resubmit
 Taneja. H. Journal of Advertising Research
 Taneja. H & Bhandari.M. Communication Research
Publication in Referred Proceedings
 Harsh Taneja and Angela Xiao Wu. 2018. Pathways to Fragmentation: User Flows and Web Distribution
Infrastructures. In WebSci ’18: 10th ACM Conferenceon Web Science, May 27–30, 2018, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
ACM, New York, NY, USA, 5 pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/3201064.3201107
Book Chapters
1. Webster, J.G. and Taneja, H. Media Exposure Measurement. Oxford Bibliographies Online. Oxford University Press.
Available http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199756841/obo-9780199756841-
0164.xml?rskey=JaG3we&result=70
2. Taneja, H & Young, H (2013). ‘Adoption of the Internet in the Television Industry: Explaining Diffusion of an
Inefficient Innovation’ in Alan Albarrran (Ed.) Media Management and Economics Research in a Transmedia Environment.
Taylor & Francis.
3. Taneja, H & Swamintahan D (2009). ‘How Does Small Town India Watch Television?’ in Nair, Tara (ed.) Media
Matters. MICA, Ahmedabad, India.
4. Taneja, H. (2009). ‘Benefits and Motivation in News Consumption in the New Media Age: A Theoretical Perspective’
in Nair, Tara (ed.) Media Matters. MICA, Ahmedabad, India.
Awards
  Chinese Journalism & Communication Journal Article Award 2017, Chinese Association for History of Journalism
& Mass Communication (CAHJC), Zhengzhou, China. 2017.
 International Communication Association (ICA) Outstanding Article Award 2015. Awarded to the best article
published in the last 2 calendar years. Puerto Rico, USA. 2015
 2014 Outstanding Dissertation of the Year. International and Intercultural Communication Division (IICD) of the
National Communication Association (NCA). Nov 2014
 Best Poster. Web Sci’14. ACM Web Science Conference, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA, June 2014.
 2014 Dissertation Award in Communication Studies. School of Communication, Northwestern University
 Chafee McLeod Award for Best Student Paper, Communication Theory and Methodology Division, Association
for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Washington DC, August 2013.
 Markham Top Student Paper Award (second place), International Communication Division, AEJMC, Washington
DC, August 2013.
 Winner, Graduate Student Paper Competition, 11th Annual Chinese Internet Research Conference ($ 400), June
2013, Oxford, UK.
 Best Thesis in Media, TAM India (A division of Nielsen Media Research), Master’s Thesis 2006
 Best Thesis, Runners Up, Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (India), Master’s Thesis, 2006

Grants and Scholarships

External
 Member, Core Investigating Team. The People’s Internet. A multi method comparative study investigating
Internet use in the context of “Market, State, and Civil Society in China, Europe, and the United States”.
◦ Donor: Carlsberg Foundation, Denmark. (DKK 11 million ~$ 2 million US). (http://bit.ly/2iD4wmh)
◦ Project Duration Fall 2016 – Spring 2020
 Volkswagen Foundation. Computational Social Science Methods School. Feb 2018. Travel Grant Hanover Germany
 Media Management and Transformation Center, Jonkoping University Sweden. Visiting Fellowship May 2016
(Travel and 1 month stay. Approx. USD 3000)
 Center for Study of Socio Technical Systems. National Science Foundation. Selected as attendee and awarded
Travel Grant for Summer Institute, 2014, July 7-10 Columbia, MO. ($600).
 Internet Policy Observatory, Annennerg School of Comm. University of Pennsylvania Cross-regional research
grant,. What Balkanizes the Internet? Access denied or access unwanted ($ 20,000, Co-PI) , AY2013 -2014
 IAMCR, Communication Policy Grants for Emerging Scholars. June 2014 Travel Award ($2700, co-PI).
 Broadcast Education Association Scholarship, AY 2012-13 Alternate Recipient,
 ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship 2011, Embassy of Switzerland (US) for a Visiting Fellowship at Academy of
Journalism and Media, University of Neuchatel ($2500)
Internal (Competitive)
As Faculty
 Richard Wallace Faculty Incentive Grant, University of Missouri, Project Title: Website Formats and Public Attention
Online.($2,000)
 Campus Fellowship. Reynolds Journalism Institute, University of Missouri. Project Title: Role of News in People’s
Online Lives (2 Course Buyouts, 1 year RA, $10,000 other research expenses)
 Research Council Large Grant, University of Missouri ($6640). Project Title: Impact of election on Ideological
Polarization in News Consumption
 Arts and Humanities Domestic Travel. University of Missouri ($1000). Conference Travel Grant for ICA 2015.
 Conference Travel Award, Center for Digital Globe, University of Missouri, ($1500).
As Graduate Student
 Graduate Research Grant, The Graduate School, Northwestern University, for Dissertation Project, ($3,000)
 Graduate Assistantship, Department of Communication Studies, Northwestern University, Fall 2009 – present (Full
tuition Waiver + Annual Stipend)
  Travel and Relocation Scholarship from Dean, School of Communication, Northwestern University, Fall 2009
($4,000)
 University Graduate Fellowship, Penn State University, For 2009-10 and 2010-11(Declined); Offered additional travel
scholarship ($4,000) by Dean, College of Communication (upon accepting offer of admission, declined)

Research Contributions in Popular Media

 July 2016. Like China’s Great Firewall, Facebook’s Free Basics Could Alter the Online Behaviour of Indians, The Wire.
Available online at http://tinyurl.com/yat3jbbs [ With H Gupta]
 July 2016. Exploring the Dubious Maths Behind Facebook's Free Bascis, The Wire. Available online at
http://thewire.in/2016/01/25/exploring-the-dubious-maths-behind-facebooks-free-basics-20110/[With H Gupta]
 June 2016. Reimagining the Internet as a Mosaic of Regional Cultures. The Conversation. Available online at
https://theconversation.com/reimagining-the-internet-as-a-mosaic-of-regional-cultures-53690 [With AX Wu]
Refereed Presentations at Major Conferences
 International Communication Association – 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012
 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication – 2017. 2016, 2015,2013, 2012
 National Communication Association – 2013
 International Association for Media and Communication Research – 2014
 (ACM) Web Science – 2015, 2014
Refereed Conference Presentations
 Nelson. J & Taneja. H. The Small Disloyal Fake News Audience. Newspaper & Online News Division. Association
for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference, August 2017. Chicago. USA
 Yager. K & Taneja. H. Examining the Relationship Between Trust and Online Usage. Newspaper and Online News
Division. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference, August 2017.
Chicago. USA
 Taneja, H. & Wu, A. X. How do online audiences flow to fragment? Augmenting duplication analysis with
clickstreams. Mass Communication Division, International Communication Association (ICA) annual conference, May,
2017, San Diego, CA. Wu,
 A. X. & Taneja, H. Pathways to fragmentation: Audience flows and web distribution infrastructures. Preconference
“Distribution Matters,” International Communication Association (ICA) annual conference, May, 2017, San Diego,
CA.
 Taneja, H. & Wu, A. X. Attention ecology of the web. Communication Theory & Methodology Division, Association
for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) annual conference, August, 2016. Minneapolis,
MN.
 Edgerly, S., Taneja, H., & Wu, A. X. A network approach to exploring the generational divides in digital news use.
Information Systems Division. Annual Meeting of the International Communication Association. June 2016
Fukuoka. Japan
 Taneja. H, Webster,J.G. How Institutions and Culture Shape Global Web Use? Annual Meeting of the International
Communication Association. June 2016 Fukuoka. Japan
 Edgerly, S., Taneja, H., & Wu, A. X. Millennials vs. Boomers: A network approach to exploring the generational
divides in digital news use. 74th Annual Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) Conference. April, 2016.
Chicago, IL
 Wu, A. X., & Taneja, H. A user-centric ethnological mapping of the World Wide Web . Computational Social Science
Summit (CSSS15). May, 2015. Chicago, IL.
 Taneja, H. How does increased interest in news impact people’s news repertoires? Evidence from the 2014 General
Elections in India. Conference paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication
Association, May 2015, Puerto Rico, USA.
 Bhandari M & Taneja, H. The role of electronic word of mouth in predicting Bollywood’s overseas box office
performance. Conference paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication
Association, May 2015, Puerto Rico, USA.
 Taneja, H. & Wu, A. X. Unraveling boundaries in global cultural consumption: Hybridization of WWW usage.
'Understanding Global Digital Cultures Conference.' April, 2015. Hong Kong.
  Taneja, H. & Wu. A.X. (June 2014). What Balkanizes the Internet? Access Denied or Access Unwanted. Proceedings
of the ACM conference WebSci 2014. Bloomington, IN, USA.
 Taneja, H. (August, 2013). Mapping an Audience Centric World Wide Web. A Departure from Hyperlink Analysis.
Communication Theory and Methodology Division, annual conference of the Association for Education in
Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). Washington, DC. Chaffee-McLeod Top Student Paper
Award.
 Taneja, H. & Wu, A.X. (August, 2013). How does the Great Firewall of China affect online user behavior? Isolated
‘Internets’ as culturally defined markets on the WWW. International Communication Division, annual conference
of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). Washington, DC.
Markham Top Student Paper Award (second place).
 Taneja, H. & Wu, A.X. (June, 2013). Does censorship or culture explain the isolated Chinese Internet? Analyzing
global online audience flows. China and the New Internet World: the 11th Chinese Internet Research Conference
(CIRC11). Oxford Internet Institute, UK. Winner of Graduate Student Paper Competition.
 Taneja, H. A Theory of Global Media Choice: Integrating Institutional and Cultural Structures. Conference paper
presented at the annual meeting of the National Communication Association, November, 2012, Orlando, USA.
 Taneja, H. Media fragmentation and Coexistence of Market Information Regimes: Simultaneous Use of Two
Television Ratings Systems in India. Paper presented in the Media Economics and Management Division of the
annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, August 2012, Chicago,
USA
 Taneja, H & Viswanathan V. Modeling Television Viewing: Integrating Motivational and Situational Predictors.
Conference paper presented in the Mass Communication and Society Division of the annual meeting of the
Association for Education in Journalsim and Mass Communication, August 2012, Chicago, USA.
 Taneja, H. Watching Television in the Multimedia Era: Individual and Structural Predictors of Exposure. Conference
paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, May 2012, Phoenix,
USA.
 Taneja, H. Describing Audience Flow on the Internet Using a Network Analytic Approach. Presentation at the annual
meeting of the International Communication Association, May 2012, Phoenix, USA.
 Taneja, H., Webster, J.G., Malthouse, E., Ksiazek. T. Media Consumption Across Platforms, Identifying User Defined
Repertoires. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, May 2012,
Phoenix, USA.
 Taneja, H. & Viswanathan, V. Explaining Consumption Of Television Programs: An Integrated Model Using
Structural and Individual Determinants. Paper presented at Student Research Competition, Broadcast Education
Association, April 2012, Las Vegas, USA.
 Taneja, H & Young, H Adoption of Internet by the Television Industry: Diffusion of an Inefficient Innovation. Paper
presented at the annual convention of the Broadcast Education Association, April 2012, Las Vegas, USA.
 Taneja, H. Contesting Information Regimes, Simultaneous Use of Two Television Audience Measurement Systems in
India. Paper presented at the 25th annual meeting of the Asian Media and Communication Association, June
2011, Hyderabad, India.
 Taneja, H & Mamoria, U, Future of Audience Measurement: The Case for Single Source as Currency. Paper presented
at ' IX World Media Economics and Management Conference', June 2010, Bogota.
 Taneja, H & Nair, T.S. Brand Equity and Choice: A Study of Online and Traditional News Audiences in India. Paper
presented at ‘Media Brands Workshop’ MMTC, JIBS September 2007, Stockholm.

TEACHING
University of Illinois (August 2017 –Present)
 Audience Analysis (Undergraduate): Fall 2017, Spring 2018
University of Missouri (Spring 2014- Spring 2017)
 Quantitative Research Methods: (MA, PhD): Fall 2015, Fall 2016
 Advanced Research Methods Seminar (MA, PhD): Spring 2015
 Mass Media Seminar (MA). Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2017
  Strategic Communication Research Methods (Undergraduate). Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015,
Fall 2016, Spring 2016
Northwestern University (Fall 2010 – Fall 2014)
 Audience Analysis: Teaching Assistant (Fall 2010 and Fall 2011), (Also delivered guest lectures).
 Contemporary Media in Government, Business and Society: Teaching Assistant (Winter 2010 and Winter 2011);
Assisted in curriculum design, prepared lectures and delivered guest lectures.
 Media Industries: Teaching Assistant (Spring 2011), Mentored student projects and also delivered a guest lecture.
 Social Network Analysis: Teaching Assistant (Spring 2012); Conducted lab demonstrations on network analytic
software NODEXL and UCINET.
Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, India (Summer 2010)
 Conducted 2 Workshops on “Understanding Media Audiences” for students of Masters in Mass Communications
and MBA (Communications Management) respectively.
Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA) India (Summer 2009)
 Advanced Audience & Media Research, Co-Instructor, specialization course in media management for MBA
communication management, 2nd year students.
 Google Online Marketing Challenge 2009. Instructor of Record, 2 out of 6 teams I mentored were Asia Pacific
Semifinalists (in top 50/2194 teams), 2 Good Campaigns, 2 Fair Campaigns
Advising
Chaired 5 MA Thesis at Missouri School of Journalism
SERVICE
Member, Awards Committee, Outstanding Article of the Year Award International Communication Association
Invited for adjudging awards in 2019, 2020 and 2021
Reviewer
Journals
Journal of Communication
Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication
New Media and Society
Communication Theory
The Information Society
Information Communication and Society
Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly
Political Communication
Media Psychology
International Journal of Press/Politics
International Journal on Media Management,
Mobile Media and Communication.
Social Media and Society
Conferences
International Communication Association (ICA),
Association for Internet Researchers (AoIR)
Broadcast Education Association (BEA)
Member, Doctoral Admissions Committee:
University of Missouri: AY 2016-17
Member, Search Committee:
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Fall 2017
University of Missouri: Fall 2014, Fall 2016
Member, Conference Organizing Committee:
 InfoSocial, Media, Technology and Society, Graduate Student Conference, Northwestern University, October 2013.
Designed Media Management Curriculum for MA and MBA Programs, Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communications, Pune,
India (Summer 2010).
Served on Curriculum Committee for designing masters level media management courses at Mudra Institute of Communications,
Ahmedabad, India (Summer 2009)

OTHER
Languages: English (proficient), Hindi (Native fluency), Punjabi & Spanish (intermediate proficiency).
DJ, Lotus Beat, A South Asian specialty music show on WNUR 89.3 FM, Northwestern University Radio Station, Chicago Sound
Experiment. Producer from Spring 2011 to Summer 2012.
Member, SPIC MACAY (Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Among Youth), (2001 – Present).
Invited on the National Executive from April 2007 to March 2009.
Cultural Secretary, NSIT, University of Delhi, Academic year 2003-04. Organized Moksha 2004, annual college cultural
festival. About 100 events attended by 10,000 students.
Founding Member and President, Students Zone, a Non Profit Organization. Involved in creation, organization and
management of inter school events (July 2000 -July 2003).