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Steven Caplan

Adjunct Instructor of Communications and Marketing, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Steve Caplan is an accomplished strategic communications professional and dedicated educator with a passion for empowering the next generation of advertising and public relations practitioners. As an instructor at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism, Steve has developed and taught a range of courses, including Introduction to Advertising, Political Advertising in the 2024 Election, Advertising/Media Planning, and Social Media Advertising. His innovative course design and engaging teaching style have equipped students with the knowledge and skills to navigate the evolving landscape of media consumption and messaging strategies. Additionally, as an adjunct lecturer at Regis College, Steve has created and delivered a comprehensive course in social media advertising, emphasizing strategic planning, audience engagement, and ethical targeting practices.

Alongside his teaching commitments, Steve brings nearly 25 years of experience driving impactful campaigns and initiatives at the intersection of entertainment, media, and public affairs. As the founder and principal strategist of Message, a full-service strategic communications agency, he has spearheaded award-winning programs for a diverse range of clients, including major philanthropies, civic institutions, and global media and entertainment companies. Throughout his career, Steve has held leadership roles at renowned agencies such as Gonring, Lin, Spahn and GMMB, where he has shaped public policy messaging, managed crisis communications, and developed comprehensive strategies to address complex issues. With his deep commitment to driving positive change and his extensive experience in strategic communications, Steve continues to be a thought leader and innovator in his field.

Economy

Gold Prices Surge as Rate Cut Bets Strengthen Amid Trade War Escalation

Gold prices climbed in Asian trading on Thursday, driven by softer U.S. inflation data that reinforced expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts. Spot gold rose 0.4% to $2,945.18 per ounce, while April gold futures gained...

Australia’s Stock Market Nears Correction as U.S. Tariffs Shake Investor Confidence

Australias SP/ASX 200 index is on the brink of correction territory, tumbling 9.8% from its all-time high on February 14, driven by escalating trade tensions following U.S. President Donald Trumps new tariffs. As of 03:20...

South Korea Warns of Heightened Currency Volatility Amid U.S.-China Trade War

South Koreas central bank cautioned that escalating tensions in the U.S.-China trade war could prolong market instability, increase capital outflow risks, and amplify dollar-won exchange rate volatility. The Bank of Korea...

Asian Currencies Stabilize as Dollar Holds Gains Amid Trade Tensions

Asian currencies saw slight gains on Thursday after recent losses, but market sentiment remained cautious due to rising global trade tensions and fears of a U.S. recession. Meanwhile, the dollar steadied following a mild...

Oil Prices Dip Amid Recession Fears, Rising Supply, and Trade War Concerns

Oil prices edged lower in Asian trading Thursday, easing after a recent rebound as concerns over a potential U.S. recession and increasing production weighed on sentiment. Brent crude futures slipped 0.2% to $70.83 per...

Politics

India May Limit Starlink’s Satellite Spectrum to 5 Years, Defying Musk’s 20-Year Request

Indias telecom regulator, TRAI, is set to recommend a five-year allocation for satellite broadband spectrum, challenging Elon Musks Starlink, which sought a 20-year permit. This move aims to assess market adoption before...

Trump’s Bold Tax Plan: No Taxes for Americans Earning Under $150K

U.S. President Donald Trump aims to eliminate taxes for individuals earning less than $150,000 annually, according to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a recent CBS News interview. I know what his goal isno tax for...

Germany Eyes Historic €500B Fund Amid Political Showdown

Germanys outgoing Bundestag will debate a 500 billion infrastructure fund and major borrowing reforms on Thursday, a move that could reshape Europes largest economy. Friedrich Merz, the conservative leader who won last...

Walmart Faces Scrutiny in China Over Supplier Price Cuts Amid Tariffs

Chinese officials met with Walmart (NYSE:WMT) this week to address reports that the U.S. retailer pressured Chinese suppliers to cut prices to offset U.S. tariffs. The meeting, held on March 11, was confirmed by Walmart...

G7 Foreign Ministers Meet Amid Rising Tensions Over Ukraine, Tariffs, and US Policy Shifts

Foreign ministers from the G7Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the U.S.along with the EU, gather in La Malbaie, Canada, for crucial talks as tensions rise over U.S. foreign policy shifts under President...

Science

Leonardo da Vinci’s incredible studies of human anatomy still don’t get the recognition they deserve

Wikimedia, CC BY-SA The mere mention of Leonardo da Vinci evokes genius. We know him as a polymath whose interests spanned astronomy, geology, hydrology, engineering and physics. As a painter, his Mona Lisa and Last Supper...

One of the largest searches for alien life started 30 years ago. Its legacy lives on today

In February 1995, a small research organisation known as the SETI Institute launched what was then the most comprehensive search for an answer to a centuries-old question: are we alone in the universe? This Sunday marks...

South African telescope discovers a giant galaxy that’s 32 times bigger than Earth’s

Inkathazos glowing plasma jets are shown in red and yellow. The starlight from other surrounding galaxies can be seen in the background. K.K.L Charlton (UCT), MeerKAT, HSC, CARTA, IDIA, CC BY You may not know it, but right...

It’s science, not fiction: high-tech drones may soon be fighting bushfires in Australia

Picture this. Its a summer evening in Australia. A dry lightning storm is about to sweep across remote, tinder-dry bushland. The next day is forecast to be hot and windy. A lightning strike tonight could spark a fire that...

Earth is bombarded with rocks from space – but who gets to keep these ultimate antiques?

Every day, about 48.5 tonnes of space rock hurtle towards Earth. Meteorites that fall into the ocean are never recovered. But the ones that crash on land can spark debates about legal ownership. Globally, meteorite hunting...

Technology

WeRide Expands Robotaxi Services in Beijing After Securing Key Permit

WeRide Corp (NASDAQ: WRD) has received approval to launch commercial robotaxi services in Beijing, marking a significant milestone in its autonomous ride-hailing expansion. The newly granted permit allows WeRide to operate...

SpaceX Delays NASA Crew-10 Launch Amid Technical Issue, Stranded Astronauts Await Return

SpaceX postponed the NASA Crew-10 mission set to bring back astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS), citing a technical issue. The launch, originally scheduled for Wednesday night from Kennedy Space...

AI Boom Fuels 10% Growth in Semiconductor Market for 2025, but Challenges Remain

The global semiconductor market is set to grow 9.5% in 2025, driven by soaring demand for AI and data center chips, according to ING analysts. While this growth lags the 11.2% forecast by the World Semiconductor Trade...

TSMC Proposes Joint Venture to Run Intel’s U.S. Foundry with Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE:TSM) is in early talks with Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), AMD (NASDAQ:AMD), Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO), and Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) to form a joint venture (JV) to manage Intels...

Salesforce Invests $1B in Singapore to Advance AI and Digital Innovation

Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) is making a major investment in Singapore, pledging $1 billion over the next five years to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) development and digital transformation. The move reinforces the...