▁held , ▁bringing ▁Eric ▁Se vare id , ▁Henry ▁Lo om is , ▁and ▁Harry ▁S . ▁Ash more ▁to ▁the ▁W SU ▁campus . ▁This ▁began ▁a ▁tradition ▁of ▁bringing ▁prominent ▁media ▁figures ▁to ▁campus ▁each ▁year , ▁a ▁tr end ▁that ▁ultimately ▁became ▁the ▁award ing ▁of ▁the ▁Edward ▁R . ▁Mur row ▁Award . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁saw ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁rapid ▁growth ▁for ▁the ▁Department . ▁Under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁Prof ess ors ▁Gl enn ▁Johnson ▁and ▁W . ▁Ne al ▁Rob ison , ▁the ▁Department ▁began ▁a ▁week ly ▁television ▁new sc ast ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁This ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁orig ins ▁of ▁what ▁was ▁to ▁become ▁C able ▁ 8 ▁Produ ctions , ▁an ▁entirely ▁student - run ▁television ▁channel , ▁launched ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁Department ▁strength ened ▁its ▁academic ▁offer ings ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁mer ger ▁between ▁the ▁Depart ments ▁of ▁Communic ation ▁and ▁Spe ech ▁Communic ation , ▁which ▁allowed ▁the ▁Department ▁to ▁begin ▁offering ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁degree ▁in ▁Communic ation . ▁The ▁Department ▁granted ▁its ▁first ▁M . A . ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁Dr . ▁Alex is ▁S . ▁Tan ▁joined ▁as ▁chair ▁and ▁led ▁efforts ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁Department ▁designated ▁as ▁the ▁Edward ▁R . ▁Mur row ▁School ▁of ▁Communic ation , ▁with ▁the ▁new ▁title ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁W