Steven King

Steven King is an associate professor at the UNC School of Media and Journalism and a former editor of innovations and former director of video at The Washington Post.

King combines computer science concepts, human-centered design and storytelling to create new ways to present information through emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality and interactive data-driven graphics.

He also assists both the United States and foreign governments in solving difficult problems in times of crisis. During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, King worked directly with the ministry of information in Liberia to create a data visualization dashboard to enable better decisions for fighting the disease.

He also worked with the Thai government on how to use media to lessen the violence from Islamic Insurgencies. King is a regular speaker and faculty member for various programs by the Institute for Defense and Business.

Prior to becoming a professor at UNC, King led a team of video journalists and video editors, creating multimedia stories while creating new business models to make the medium profitable for The Washington Post. He and his team were awarded 11 regional Emmy Awards over two years. He also served as editor of innovations and special projects at washingtonpost.com, where he pioneered new forms of storytelling and generated millions of dollars in new revenue for the company.

In addition to teaching at UNC, King runs a startup called FilmSync, which leverages a new technology he created at UNC to connect smart phones to televisions. FilmSync was awarded a Prototype grant from The Knight Foundation in 2014. As a computer scientist and journalist, King is also experimenting with emerging technologies and user interfaces for presenting news and information in new ways.

King leverages his former work as an overseas correspondent and has led students on award-winning international documentary projects in Malawi, Thailand, the Galapagos Islands and Mexico. These projects have won awards in competitions that include South by Southwest Interactive, AEJMC Best of the Web, Horizon Interactive Awards, NPPA monthly multimedia competitions, Society for News Design Best of Multimedia Design and the Online Journalism Awards, among others.

He has been an overseas correspondent for the International Mission Board, traveling to 18 countries during his tenure and worked as a multimedia producer and picture editor at MSNBC Interactive for the Olympics.

King lives in Durham, North Carolina, with his wife and two boys and is deeply involved at Chapel Hill Bible Church, where he serves as an elder.

Education

• Masters of Science University of Liverpool (2009 — 2011)
• BS Western Kentucky University (1999 — 2003)

Companies

• Chair of the Board Chapel Hill Bible Church (2021)
• Founder Lexus 9 (2020)
• Faculty Special Appointment UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School (2017)
• Chief Innovation Officer UNC Reese Innovation Lab (2016)
• Associate Professor of Emerging Technologies and Immersive Media UNC School of Media and Journalism (2011)
• CEO and Founder ASK MEDIA LLC (2010)
• Dir. of Video The Washington Post (2010 — 2011)
• Dir. of Innovations Washington Post Digital (2008 — 2010)
• Editor of Innovations and Product Development Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive (2004 — 2008)