Expert

The question of the hour: Can someone be an expert on something if they've only studied it and doesn't have any practical experience at it?

Allow me to explain: Last night, a friend/co-worker and I went to hear a professor from SU talk about the television business. Said professor has a PhD, and is tapped by many to give statments, comments and interviews regarding different aspects of the climate of television at the given moment. He has studied television extensively and while television is interesting and culturally relevant since it's inception.

But he has never worked a day at a television station, production house or writer's room. He doesn't do ratings research or sell advertising. He teaches about television. Which is fine. Everyone who has an interest in television is not required to do any of the aforementioned things. However, when one professes to be an expert in their field, shouldn't that mean that they have, in fact, worked in the business instead of studying it and making observations from afar?

Professors at SU and more specifically, the Newhouse Communications program, are all kinds. I had professors who were, in fact, development execs and comedy writers. None of these people considered themselves 'experts' on television, though conversations with them on the subject would lead one to believe that they were.

Then there's this professor, who has none of this practical experience...yet he has become a respected 'expert' in the field of television. Somehow, it doesn't make sense to me. Why do people care what this guy has to say?