Global media are a constantly moving target. Independent research is vitally important to understand their varied and contested roles. The Center brings Communication Research together with other disciplines and connects researchers nationally and internationally, in pursuit of fresh and rigorously evaluated information concerning global media operations, strategies and trends. This work also involves continual interface with creative media artists, professionals, media policy-makers and activists. The Center further sets itself the task of disseminating this knowledge to the interested public as well as to specialist researchers.

Its founding director is John Downing, who joined the faculty in January 2004.

The Global Media Research Center website is at http://gmrc.siu.edu