Christopher Assaf

Dr. Assaf is an assistant professor in Video, Broadcast, and Multimedia at the University of North Texas. He specializes in photojournalists at the White House and studies visual communication and theory; photojournalism practice and culture; digital technology diffusion and its effects; and community publication ownership and succession issues.

As a nationally recognized journalist, Dr. Assaf is well-known for his creative visual storytelling and imagery. Fluent in multiple platforms — including still and video — he produces high-level visuals and multimedia, and teaches the same to the students at UNT.

A still photojournalist and picture editor since high school, he began focusing on the digital realm of video and online in 2008. Like his still photography, his work as a video editor, cinematographer, and web producer has consistently been recognized.

At the Baltimore Sun, Assaf’s work and contributions have been recognized by a variety of institutions and groups. He played a key role in The Sun’s coverage of Freddie Gray’s death while in custody, the team coverage recognized as a Pulitzer Finalist in Breaking News. This work also received best investigation triggered by breaking news, Investigative Reporters & Editors; Community Service Photojournalism Award, American Society of News Editors; 2015 Online Journalism Award, breaking news – Baltimore Riots and the Freddie Gray Case; 2015 Online Journalism Award, explanatory reporting – The 45-minute mystery of Freddie Gray’s death and first place, breaking news, the National Headliner Awards.

The National Press Photographers Association’s Best of Photojournalism, Pictures of the Year, and the White House News Photographers Association regularly recognized his video and photographic work.