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John M. Eger | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Mitchell Eger January 16, 1940 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Virginia Military Institute (BA) University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (JD) |
| Occupation(s) | Author, educator, consultant |
| Employer | San Diego State University |
| Known for | Communications policy, media development, creative economy studies |
John Mitchell Eger (born January 16, 1940) is an American author, educator, and consultant known for his work in communications policy, media, and economic development. He is the former Lionel Van Deerlin Endowed Chair of Communications and Public Policy and Director of the Creative Economy Initiative at San Diego State University (SDSU). Eger previously served as Director of the White House Office of Telecommunications Policy and as an advisor to two U.S. presidents.[1] He also held senior positions in the media industry, including at CBS.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
Early life and education
[edit]Eger was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Elizabeth Kleinmann and Elvin William Eger.[8] As a child, he attended art classes at the Art Institute of Chicago through a scholarship from the Chicago Board of Education, which developed his interest in art and creativity. He later studied at the Smithsonian Institution and the University of California, San Diego College of Extended Studies, focusing on communication and technology.[3] He received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the Virginia Military Institute and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (formerly John Marshall School of Law).[9]
Career
[edit]Early career and government service
[edit]Eger began his career as a management trainee at Illinois Bell 1963 before working as an attorney at the Chicago law firm Menk, Johnson, and Bishop from 1970 to 1971. In the 1970s, he joined the White House Office of Telecommunications Policy, where he was involved in shaping federal telecommunications and privacy policies. He later served as Director of the Office and participated in government initiatives related to information technology and communications. During this time, Eger also addressed cybersecurity and privacy concerns, including efforts to prevent unauthorized access to state transmissions related to arrests. His work in this area led to an invitation from Vice President Nelson Rockefeller to contribute to policy committees focused on federal surveillance and privacy practices. In that capacity, he worked with figures such as Brian Lamb, founder of C-SPAN, and contributed to the development of communications and privacy policy frameworks.[10][11][12][13][14]
Private sector
[edit]In 1978, Eger transitioned to the private sector, joining the law firm Lamb Eastman and Keats in Washington, D.C., where he practiced until 1981. He then took on a role at CBS Inc. as Vice President of Strategic Planning and International Development. His responsibilities included overseeing global media development, such as cable TV, syndication of programming, and teletext, a precursor to social media.[2][5]
During his time at CBS, Eger was involved in expanding commercial broadcasting to the People’s Republic of China. Before this, China had limited television programming, despite a growing interest in the medium. The introduction of advertising-supported programming helped accelerate the growth of television in China, attracting interest from various media enterprises. Even though many Chinese citizens faced financial constraints, they found ways to access TV sets, often from Taiwan. During this period, Eger was also elected Chair of the International Advertising Global Media Commission. He later joined the law firm Morrison and Foerster in San Francisco as counsel, where he continued to share his expertise on the intersection of law, technology, art, and global affairs.[15][16][17]
In addition to his work at CBS and the law firm, Eger established the Worldwide Media Group (WMG), a consultancy focused on helping countries develop advertising-supported television systems. WMG also founded the Business Week Annual Conference in partnership with the Foreign Policy Association, which brought together political leaders and CEOs to discuss topics like technology, education, and economic development. Furthermore, in collaboration with Government Technology Magazine, WMG hosted annual conferences on "Cities of the Future," exploring how cities were implementing new communications technologies to enhance their prosperity and well-being.[18][15][5]
Academic career
[edit]In 1990, Eger was appointed to the Lionel Van Deerlin Chair of Communication and Public Policy at San Diego State University. During his tenure, he established programs and courses addressing topics such as digital technology, telecommunications, and public policy. He founded the Center for International Communication and launched the Creative Economy Initiative at SDSU to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration between technology, art, and policy studies. Eger also worked on research projects related to urban development and technology, including the Smart Communities initiative, supported by the California Office of Transportation.[4][19]
Eger served in advisory roles for state and local government, including chairing San Diego Mayor Susan Golding’s “City of the Future” Committee and participating in California Governor Pete Wilson’s Commission on Information Technology.[20]
Writing and publications
[edit]Eger has contributed to academic journals and professional publications, including The Georgetown Journal of Law and Diplomacy and The Cornell Law Journal. His works often explore the relationship between art, technology, and public policy.[21][2]
His book The Creative Community: Linking Art, Culture, Commerce, and Community examines how creativity can influence economic and social development. His later publication, Untold Power: The Marriage of Art and Technology, continues this theme by discussing the intersection of artistic innovation and technological advancement.[22][23]
References
[edit]- ^ "U.S. Is Increasing Phone Security To Foil Russians (Published 1977)". 1977-08-29. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ a b c Eger, • John. "John Eger". Urban Land. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
- ^ a b "John Eger".
- ^ a b Geraghty, Coleen L. (2016-09-19). "John Eger Named First Zahn Professor of Creativity". www.sdsu.edu. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
- ^ a b c Harris, Blake (2010-08-12). "John M. Eger". GovTech. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
- ^ https://www.gao.gov/assets/lcd-76-113.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ President (1974-1977 : Ford). White House Press Release Unit. 8/9/1974-1/20/1977. Resignation of John Eger as Deputy Director of the Office of Telecommunications Policy [Position Appointments and Resignations]. White House Press Releases (Ford Administration).
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ www.myheritage.com https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-10053-637307570/elvin-eger-in-1940-united-states-federal-census. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ https://www.researchgate.net/profile/John-Eger
- ^ https://www.gao.gov/assets/lcd-76-113.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Historical Documents - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
- ^ Eger, John M. (2010-07-28). "Freeing Cities From Telco and Cable Monopolies". GovTech. Retrieved 2025-10-13.
- ^ "John Eger | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ "FBI'S DATA PLAN SCORED BY AGENCY (Published 1975)". 1975-06-04. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ a b Farley, Ellen (1987-08-30). "BOUND FOR CHINA : Exported U.S. Movies and TV Shows Reflect Some Curious Choices". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ "China Central TV-CBS sign historic agreement - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ "CBS-CHINA TV PACT ANNOUNCED (Published 1983)". 1983-06-01. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ "Chinese Sign Pact With CBS For Commercial Television". The Washington Post. 1983-06-01. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ Eger, John M. (2010-07-28). "Strong Cities and the New Leadership Role for Urban Universities". GovTech. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ Eger, John (2010-07-27). "Commentary: Nurturing a Creative and Innovative Community". GovTech. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ Eger, John M. (1979). "U.S. Proposal for Progress Through Negotiations". Journal of Communication. 29 (3): 124–128. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.1979.tb01721.x. ISSN 1460-2466.
- ^ "inauthor:"John Eger" - Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved 2025-10-14.
- ^ "The untold power of the marriage of art and technology | WorldCat.org". search.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2025-10-14.