His research explores transformations in contemporary journalism through a cross-national comparative lens, and his writings have been published in Journal of Communication, New Media & Society, and the International Journal of Press/Politics, among others.

Powers has been engaged for several years in comparative analysis of journalism in France and the United States. The project–conducted jointly with Sandra Vera-Zambrano–asks how journalists in these distinct contexts react to the similar economic and technological transformations that confront them. It has resulted in several publications, and several more–including a book, tentatively titled What Journalists Are For–are forthcoming.

At the University of Washington, Powers teaches undergraduate courses in ethics and comparative media. At the graduate level, he teaches courses and advises students in qualitative and comparative research methods, and the sociology of journalism and cultural production.