Jonathan is a lecturer at The George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs. He works with students navigating from legacy to visual news media. He teaches writing for visual media, focusing primarily on broadcast television. In addition, he continues to teach a history of news class that examines the parallel advances of the 20th century alongside the evolution of television news coverage. Jonathan created this history class for the online student community.
Since 2002 Jonathan has worked closely with authors and publishers to help advance high profile book projects. Many of the authors with whom Jonathan has worked have done substantive interviews on shows like 60 Minutes and on NPR, among other media. His short films have helped news producers and book lovers gain greater insight into authors and projects.
At times Jonathan produced videos that correspond with an author's work. A particular favorite of his is the work done with Lincoln scholar James Swanson. In 2010, Swanson produced a book that followed the Death Pageant for Lincoln, along with the search for former Confederate President Jefferson Davis. The video supporting this book, Bloody Crimes, was filmed in Swanson's home, amidst a tapestry of Lincoln artifacts.
Army Medic Ray Lambert wrote the book Every Man a Hero to commemorate the friends and fellow service members lost during WWII. This video documents Ray’s service, particularly his service landing in the first wave at Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. This conversation was conducted in May 2019.
Author Barbara Mertz had a number of publishing personas. Jonathan spoke with her about her work as Elizabeth Peters, the author of several mysteries surrounding Egyptology.
Prior to coming to GWU, Professor Ebinger was a producer for ABC News Nightline. With his colleagues at Nightline he produced thousands of shows, providing depth and context with each broadcast. Following his years with Nightline, he launched the ESPN weekly investigative program Outside the Lines and led the show's production team with efforts across all media platforms. He has also been part of production teams for the BBC, CNBC, PBS and National Geographic Channel, and he has been on extended projects as an editor for National Public Radio, and with the special events unit at ABC News.
Most recently he ran projects for an American media foundation, primarily as director of an international exchange program for American and German journalists. He has prepared and presented training workshops for journalists from across the globe, representing six continents. He has created and led training scenarios across the United States on how communities and journalists can respond in the event of a health, humanitarian, or terrorist related crisis.
Jonathan has lectured overseas on American news coverage of domestic politics and U.S. presidential campaigns. He has also been a guest or feature lecturer on media and journalism topics at universities from Rhode Island to Alaska, including a few at places in between those coasts.
Jonathan Ebinger has been honored with eight Emmy Awards, including six national news Emmys with Nightline (ABC News), one national news Emmy for Inside Base Camp (National Geographic Channel), and one local Emmy for World Talk (WETA-PBS).
He also received a Dupont-Columbia Award for Nightline Special Programs.