Educational Background- Ph.D. in Communication and Society, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon
- M.A. in English Philology, University of Tampere, Finland
- Minor, in the M.A. degree program: International Relations , Universty of Tampere, Finland
- Minor, in the M.A. degree program: North American Studies, University of Tampere, Finland
- B.A. in English Philology, University of Tampere, Finland
Professional Background- Associate Professor of Media Arts, Department of Arts and Humanities, School of Informatics, Humanities and Social Sciences, Robert Morris University
- Assistant Dean, School of Informatics, Humanities and Social Sciences, Robert Morris University, August 2020-July, 2021
- Head, Department of Media Arts, School of Informatics, Humanities and Social Sciences, Robert Morris University, August 2014-July 2020
- Director, Center for Global Engagement, Robert Morris University, January 2013-July 2014
- 2017 - Founder of MoonDocs - Documentary Filmmakers Open House at RMU, with RMU Fall 2016 Visiting Documentary Filmmaker Nadine Patterson. An annual professional and networking event for filmmakers and student filmmakers, and others interested in socially conscious arts.
- National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) Faculty Fellowship, Faculty Development Grant by the NATPE Foundation, NATPE Marketplace and Conference, January 2019, Miami Beach, FL
- National Council of Arts Administrators Annual Conferences, 2014 Boston, MA; and 2015 Nashville, TN
- Chair, International Division, Broadcast Education Association, 2013-2015
- Vice-Chair, International Division, Broadcast Education Association, 2011-2013
- Research Paper Competition Chair, International Division, Broadcast Education Association, 2009-2011
- Assistant Professor of Media Studies, Division of Communication, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
- Education Committee Board Member of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association
- International Radio and Television Society (IRTS) Fellowship, 2003 and 2004, New York, NY
- Graduate Teaching Fellow, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon
- Graduate Teaching Fellow, Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, University of Oregon
- Program Coordinator, North American Studies Program, University of Tampere, Finland
- freelance journalist
Area of Expertise/Research- critical political economy of communication
- cultural studies
- media industries
- film, television, streaming, and video: theory, history and production
- terrorism and media
- film and international politics
- international communication and international journalism
- intercultural communication
Publications- Vanhala, H. (2024). A Critical Political Economy Analysis of the Streaming Industry's Structure. In Ferchaud, A. & Proffitt, J. M. (Eds.), Television's Streaming Wars. Taylor & Francis.
- Vanhala, H. (2019). Finland. In Merskin D. L. (Ed.), The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Mass Media and Society. SAGE Publications, 626-630.
- Vanhala, H. (2011). The Depiction of Terrorists in Blockbuster Hollywood Films, 1980-2001. An Analytical Study. Jefferson, NC & London: McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers.
- Vanhala H. (2011). Terrorism no longer sells in Hollywood. Guest editorial. Helsingin Sanomat, Finland (original in Finnish: "Terrorismi ei enaa myy Hollywoodissa").
- Vanhala, H. (2008). Civil Society Under Siege: Terrorism and Government Response to Terrorism in The Siege. Jump Cut 50.
- Stavitsky, A., Avery R. K., & Vanhala, H. (2001). From Class D to LPFM: The High-Powered Politics of Low-Power Radio. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly 78(2), 340-354.
Presentations- 2023 - "Streaming Globally: Commodification of Cultural Content for Global Mass Consumption," Union for Democratic Communications (UDC) 2023 Conference, The Media, Inequality and Change (MIC) Center at the Annenberg School of Communication, University of Pennsylvania & The School of Communication and Information, Rutgers University.
- 2023 - Vanhala, H. (2023). Retracing the Future of Netflix: The Political Economy of Netflix. 1st place, Broadcast Education Association (BEA) 2023 Annual Research Paper Competition, International Division, Open Category.
- 2018 - "Bringing Scholars and Documentary Filmmakers Together to Analyze and Produce Critical Interpretations of Reality," Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV
- 2016 - "Content Creation in the Age of Binge-Viewing," Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV
- 2011 - "The Hollywood Men of Action-Adventure," Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV
- 2010 - "Studying International Communication and Broadcast Media in Finland: From the Midnight Sun Film Festival and Broadcast Media Visits to Sauna and Santa's Reindeer," Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV
- 2009 - "Ethics and Hollywood Counterterrorism: Propaganda for Defining Terrorism as War," Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV
- 2008 - "Hollywood's War on Terror," Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV
- 2007 - "International News Coverage versus National Security in the Age of Modern International Terrorism," Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV
- 2007 - "Arab Terrorism versus Northern Irish Terrorism in Hollywood Films," International Association of Mass Communication Research, Paris, France
- 2006 - "International News: A Commodity of Cultural Convergence," Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV
- 2005 - "Killing Them Softly? Producing Hollywood Action-Adventure Films for the Global Market," Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV
- 2004 - "Modern Terrorism: A Western News Commodity," Broadcast Education Association, Las Vegas, NV
- 2004 - "The Concept of Terrorism: War over Meaning," Union for Democratic Communications, St. Louis, MO
- 2002 - "September 11: When Reality Imitated Hollywood Fiction," Union for Democratic Communications 2002 Conference, The Pennsylvania State University, PA
