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Home >> College News » Merrill College Ph.D. Student Andrew Otis Wins Hiebert Award

MERRILL COLLEGE PH.D. STUDENT ANDREW OTIS WINS HIEBERT AWARD

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COLLEGE PARK (4/29/79) -The University of Maryland
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Merrill On Social Media Philip Merrill College of Journalism has awarded the
third annual Ray Hiebert History of Journalism Endowed C<Jlr11tlo
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College News Award to Ph.D. student Andrew Otis for his 2018 book,
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"Hicky's Bengal Gazette: The Untold Story of India's First
Student News Newspaper."

Faculty News The Hiebert Award, which includes a $1,000 honorarium, is

for the best work in journalism history by any graduate
Events student or faculty member at Merrill College. The award
may be given for a doctoral dissertation, master's thesis,
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THE U TOLD STORY OF

Student Spotlight article published in peer-reviewed research journal, or - I NDIA'S FIRST

Alumni Spotlight
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book published by a reputable publisher. NEWSPAPER
In his research, Otis explored the life and times of James A· DREW OTIS
Hicky, an Irishman who founded India's first newspaper,
"Hicky's Bengal Gazette: The Untold Story of India's First
Hicky's Bengal Gazette, in 1780. This history was not well
Newspaper," by Merrill College Ph.D. student Andrew Otis.
researched before now, and Otis's preface helps the reader
understand why. The obstacles Otis faced over five years
of research were impressive as he relentlessly pieced together this story from centuries-old documents and
editions of the newspaper that he unearthed in archives from India to Europe. The result is a highly readable
narrative that describes the lives and intrigues of a rich cast of characters as well as the larger historical forces at
play. The reader learns of Hicky's trials -figurative and literal - alongside 18th -century debates on multiple
continents about freedom of the press and the role of journalism as a monitor of power.

Otis is completing his second year as a PhD student at Merrill College. He holds a B.A. in history and political
science from the University of Rochester. During his work on this book, he conducted research in London on a
Joseph P. O'Hern Scholarship awarded for post-graduate travel and study awarded by the University of Rochester,
and he was a Fulbright Fellow in Kolkata, India.

D r. Ray Hiebert was the founding dean of the College of Journalism at the University of Maryland and is himself a
journalism historian. His intent in establishing this award has been to encourage research that sheds light on the
history of journalism and to promote the teaching of journalism history in journalism education, including the
historic role of journalism in American life, politics, government and culture. Dr. Hiebert believes that the
University of Maryland is ideally located for research in journalism history, especially because of the university's
proximity to the U.S. government's most important history archives as well as access to the world's news media
and their historic records.

The award committee was chaired by Merrill College Associate Professor Ira Chinoy and included Merrill Professor
Mark Feldstein, Merrill Associate Professor Chris Hanson, and University of Maryland Department of History
Associate Professor David Sicilia.

The award committee was chaired by Merrill College Associate Professor Ira Chinoy and included Merrill Professor
Mark Feldstein, Merrill Associate Professor Chris Hanson, and University of Maryland Department of History
Associate Professor David Sicilia.

For more information, contact:

Alexander A. Pyles
aa pyles@u md.ed u
301-405-1321

~ hiebert award