His research and books have focused on media regulation and policy, receiving awards from organizations including the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, the International Communication Association, the Broadcast Education Association, and the National Business and Economics Society. Napoli has testified before Congress and the FCC on media regulation and policy issues and his previous work has received support from organizations such as the Ford Foundation, the Benton Foundation, the Social Science Research Council, and the Center for American Progress. He holds a Ph.D from Northwestern University.