Mr. Ben Cunningham

Ben Cunningham is a 2003 graduate of the Department of Communication at Jacksonville State University, where he served as editor of The Chanticleer. He also received a master’s degree in English from JSU in 2012. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he began a 17-year career at his hometown newspaper, The Anniston Star. His time at The Star coincided with rapid shifts toward digital publication and engagement with readers through social media. As a staff writer for The Star, he reported on law enforcement, education, local government and many other topics. He began leading the newspaper’s local coverage as metropolitan editor in 2007 and was named managing editor in 2012. He first taught at JSU as an adjunct instructor in 2015 and joined the Communication Department faculty as an instructor in 2020.