In 2024, the Journal of Children and Media (JOCAM), founded by SC&I Interim Dean Dafna Lemish in 2007, celebrated its 18th birthday, a significant coming-of-age milestone, by publishing a special section of 16 commentary-length manuscripts from scholars around the globe.

“Milestone birthdays are always times of reflection; a chance to take stock of where you have been, and of where you will go next,” said JOCAM Editor Vikki Katz, a former Associate Professor of Communication at SC&I and now Professor and Endowed Chair in Free Speech in the School of Communication at Chapman University. “Since JOCAM focuses on children’s and young people’s development, it felt right to mark its 18th birthday with a celebration.”

The commentaries in the special section examine changing definitions and experiences of children and childhood; evolution and innovation in media and technology; and methodological innovations and challenges.  

In the final commentary, Lemish shares her thoughts “on whether changes in what JOCAM has published over the past 18 years are evidence of evolution or revolution in our field, and what those insights suggest for the years to come.”

Katz said, “I was delighted that Dafna contributed her unique perspective on JOCAM’s growth and evolution for this special section. Who better to offer such assessments than the scholar who brought the Journal into the world? Dafna’s leadership, not only of JOCAM but of children and media research more broadly, including the community of the Children, Adolescents, and Media (CAM) division of ICA are invaluable. This community of scholars, media producers, educators, and practitioners simply wouldn’t be what it is today without her.”

“I was delighted that Dafna contributed her unique perspective on JOCAM’s growth and evolution for this special section. Who better to offer such assessments than the scholar who brought the Journal into the world?"  — JOCAM Editor Vikki Katz, a former Associate Professor of Communication at SC&I and now Professor and Endowed Chair in Free Speech in the School of Communication at Chapman University.

Reflecting on the journal’s achievements since its inception, SC&I Distinguished Professor of Journalism and Media Studies Amy Jordan, who co-edited JOCAM with Lemish from 2012-2019, and with Katz from 2019-2020, said, “One of the most important things the Journal has accomplished is raising the visibility of children and media research produced by scholars around the world.  Often CAM studies are focused on children from the Global North, mainly the U.S., U.K., and Western Europe.  JOCAM has consciously worked to bring scholarship from underrepresented countries and that has broadened our understanding of the role of media in the lives of children and families.”

Crediting Lemish with conceiving of and launching JOCAM, Jordan said, “To start a publication like the Journal of Children and Media takes vision, dedication, and energy.  Anyone who knows Dafna knows she has all three.  Dafna Lemish has always been a leader in our field, and it took her vision and energy to use her prominence to establish a new journal.  JOCAM elevated the visibility of our scholarship and made it so much more accessible as an interdisciplinary field.  Prior to JOCAM, children and media scholars published across numerous academic journals making it hard, sometimes, to find each other's work.”

“To start a publication like the Journal of Children and Media takes vision, dedication, and energy.  Anyone who knows Dafna knows she has all three. Dafna Lemish has always been a leader in our field, and it took her vision and energy to use her prominence to establish a new journal." — SC&I Distinguished Professor of Journalism and Media Studies Amy Jordan

Jordan added, “Working alongside Dafna Lemish as co-editor I experienced some of the most valuable mentorship of my career.  She had a way of providing feedback to authors that was encouraging but also challenging.  She was also committed to ensuring that scholars around the world had a home for their research-- especially those who had been historically underrepresented.  This commitment, which infused so much of what she did as editor — had a tremendous impact on me as her co-editor and in my other leadership roles.”

Looking ahead at the ways JOCAM will continue to grow, expand, and contribute to the CAM field of scholarship, Katz said, “The future is very bright. The year-over-year growth in submissions, and submission quality, from all over the world showcases the diversity of topics and issues related to young people, media and technology. There is no shortage of questions we need answers to as young people grow and develop in an increasingly technologizing world, and JOCAM, as the intellectual home that Dafna created for this work, will continue to thrive as well.”

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