Former journalism dean Ben Bagdikian dies at 96

Ben Bagdikian, former dean of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and award-winning journalist, author and media critic, died today at his home in Berkeley. He was 96. Bagdikian joined UC Berkeley's journalism faculty in 1976 and was named dean in 1985. His seminal 1983 book, The Media Monopoly , predicted the consolidation of American journalism by major conglomerates. He retired from UC Berkeley in 1990. "He became part of that first wave of pioneering professionals who established the School as one of the premier journalism educators in the world,” said Edward Wasserman, dean of the Graduate School of Journalism,  in a statement posted today on the school's website. "Ben was a major figure in 20th century U.S. journalism, and we're all his beneficiaries.