Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Chat with CoPress Executive Director Daniel Bachhuber

December 19, 2009 by Dan

Awhile back, I asked CoPress co-founder and executive director Daniel Bachhuber a few questions about his growing collegemediatopia empire.  I was not shooting for “60 Minutes” type intensity but the first two are more in-your-face than softball.  The queries do not center on concerns I have about CoPress as much as curiosities.  It’s not yet “college media’s backbone,” as its tagline states, but its importance is growing.  I wanted some straight answers about things I’ve heard from others and seen firsthand.  Bachhuber, being an honorable man, responded right away and with appreciable candor.

–

CoPress

–

Your clients’ sites look great.  Of course, most are basically identical in template.  Are there plans to up the sites’ variety or individuality?  What’s your response to the haters who say there is more variety (at least in design) right now with College Media Network (CMN) sites?

–

I’d respond respectfully that the comparison isn’t appropriate. While some of the news organizations we are working with have chosen the Gazette Edition from WooThemes as the foundation they want to start with, others including the Campus Chronicle, the Al-Talib News Magazine, and the Campanil have started with significantly different foundations.

–

It’s completely up to the news organization as to the direction they want to take the design. I can’t speak with any knowledge about College Publisher’s design process but, in most cases, we have the news organization take complete ownership of the design process. They pick an existing WordPress theme to start from, and then have the freedom to tweak the CSS, functionality, how the content is presented on the home page, etc. to their heart’s content. We’re there to answer any and all questions they have. If it serves a specific, important purpose to have their site look visually different than others, then we’ll coach them through that process.

–

Beyond appearance, there are user experience things that should cross-pollinate.  One goal we’re working towards is to build a network of news organizations actively running experiments with technology, presentation of content, etc. that can then share the knowledge of how well those experiments work and learn from each other.  For instance, Brian Manzullo has been putting together topical landing pages as contextual explainers for ongoing stories (an example here).  It’s up to the publication to take leadership on work like this, however; we try to provide a bounty of ideas and are working on a platform for news organizations to collaborate around those ideas.

–

–

Some student newspaper editors have written me to say the empowerment push of Web 3.0 means they can do their sites themselves, without CMN or CoPress or anyone else.  What’s your pitch as to why student media outlets can really benefit from a CoPress partnership?

–

That’s our mission too.  We want to get the news organizations we’re working with to the point where they can manage, maintain, and develop against their websites entirely on their own.  Most aren’t there yet, which is why I think what CoPress is doing, and the network we’re building, is tremendously valuable.

–

–

What’s been the coolest moment for you since starting CoPress?

–

ACP/CMA in Austin this fall was a stellar experience for a few reasons: We got meet a number of the news organizations we work with for the first time. We were fortunate to talk with other news organizations very interested in taking ownership of their ability to innovate on the web. And I got to hang out in the real world with a few people on our geographically diverse team who have worked tirelessly to make the big picture a reality.

Posted in College Media, Future of Journalism, Journalism, New Media | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Minnesota Students Capture an American Dream in Flux, Online and in Print

December 17, 2009 by Dan

More than 30 students at the University of Minnesota spent the past semester in FLUX. They created a printerrific, Webtastic class project on steroids, documenting the changing nature of the modern American dream via a full-color magazine and accompanying Web site.

–

–

As a letter from editor in chief Katie Pelton shares:

–

If you think of the American Dream, it’s likely your mind will wander to images of the 1950’s Pleasantville- you know, the breadwinner husband, his stay-at-home wife who happily tends to her two and a half children and their tidy house surrounded by a white picket fence. . . . While the concept might conjure images of 1950’s domesticity, it can equally be applied to the Pilgrims and today’s rule-rewriting, tech-savvy millennial generation. It has certainly struck a chord with me, and all of the individual dreamers we’ve encountered while producing this magazine. . . . We all have hopes and goals for the future- not only for our own lives, but also our country. With each generation comes new ideals, and because of the fluctuation of current societal standards, our principles are changing faster than ever.

–

According to a UM news release, the magazine is divided into four main areas. DEBATE skews political, touching on  ”debt, environmental sustainability and diversity.”  LEARN presents pieces on education and the professional world, “posing the question: Is college necessary?”  LIVE screams arts and culture, including a then-and-now fashion spread. And TALK “explores modern communication and the influence technology and relationships have on the American Dream.”  My favorite snippet is a SoundSlides photo montage with audio in the multimedia section that presents young girls’ perspectives on what makes a person beautiful in the contemporary U.S.

–

Pelton, about the project overall: “Not only did we learn far more from this experience than a textbook could ever teach us, but we professionally produced a quality magazine that will influence people’s lives.”

Posted in College Media, Journalism, Journalism Education, Magazine Journalism, New Media | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Georgetown Heckler Under Fire for Satirical Article on Cross Burnings and the KKK

December 16, 2009 by Dan

2009 has become the year of satirical and racial controversy within Georgetown University’s student media. More than eight months ago, Georgetown students staged a sit-in protest criticizing perceived racial insensitivities within the April Fool’s edition of the Hoya campus newspaper. Now, a student humor magazine that attempted to poke fun at the Hoya incident is facing similar criticisms.

–

The Georgetown Heckler recently published a smolderingly satirical article in which Hoya staffers aim to wash away their perceived racial slights at year’s end through a holiday-themed ceremony. For the ceremony, the Hoya team is portrayed as white robe-wearing, lynch-happy cross burners akin to the KKK. A portion of the piece (bolding by me, in case you’re just scanning):

–

The event began Friday . . . with everyone wearing the traditional costume of a flowing white robe, white hood, and white mask, portraying the “ghosts of Christmas past.” “It’s a time to remember our great tradition, but it’s also a time to remember some of the darkness that hangs over our past,” Hoya Features Editor [name omitted by me] said. “It feels cathartic to put on this white hood. It’s about us coming together as one and exterminating these dark figures of the past that seem to loom over us. . . . We’ve been slaving over this ceremony for weeks and it’s great to see it running so smoothly.”  In addition to the cross lighting, the Hoya drove the idea home by hanging dark, human-shaped piñatas from . . . trees, representing the demons of the past.

–

Jubilant <i>Hoya</i> staffers taking part in the annual tradition

The photo run with the Heckler piece.

–

The Heckler is now taking heat from students, faculty, and administrators who ‘get’ the larger stab at a joke, but are not laughing- saying the article did not satirize as much as inflame the racial hullabaloo hanging over the D.C. school. As one Georgetown student, the president of university’s NAACP chapter, declared, “At the end of the day, the Heckler’s article made me sick to my stomach. I . . . felt that my Black body became a site for White (and non-Black) students to negotiate their twisted notions under the guise of satire. The nonsense has got to stop.” The most vigorous critics have pointed out that this piece is not the Heckler’s first controversial racial satire (many are citing another recent article headlined “It’s Not a Hate Crime If You Love Doing It”). Stemming from the controversy, a community forum on “Racism and Satire” was held on campus last night.

–

The Heckler’s top editor told Washington City Paper he stands by the article. A Heckler writer offered what I feel is the strongest defense, even summoning the spirit of Stephen Colbert: “I think the basic problem is people are throwing around the word satire without understanding what it actually means. The point of satire is to critique a position by adopting it, and pointing out its ridiculousness. Think of stephen colbert, he makes fun of right wing pundits by acting like them. . . . The whole point is not to laugh with racism, but at it and laugh at the people who commit racist acts. The real irony of the situation is that the whole point of the heckler was to denounce racial ignorance.”

Posted in College Media, Journalism, Journalism Ethics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

NIU Campus Police Chief Comes Away Clean from Crazy Interview with Student Newspaper

December 12, 2009 by Dan

The fallout from the strangest interview conducted within collegemediatopia this year is finally over, nearly four full months after it first played out.  As I previously posted, the alternately combative and heroic Northern Illinois University campus police chief had been accused by the Northern Star student newspaper editor of descending into madness during a three hour interview with the paper in August.

–

As the Northwest Herald reports, the editor, Justin Weaver, said that the police chief Donald Grady “yelled at him for nearly three hours, accused him of ruining the career of a patrol officer who had recently resigned and at one point offered the possibility of future employment if the Northern Star would write a story that painted the resigned officer in a favorable light. Grady also implied that the student could face personal or professional negative implications if he didn’t write the story.”

–

In a more general sense, according to a Star editorial that blatantly called for his dismissal: “Stories of Grady screaming and being described by those on the receiving end of the tirades as ‘crazed’ and having ‘lost it’ are growing horrifically commonplace among university employees from all walks of campus. One official even described him as ‘not fit to be a police officer.’”

–

However, a panel has reviewed all charges and “found no evidence of misconduct or inappropriate actions,” leading NIU to immediately reinstate Grady to his post.  The police beat now becomes even tougher for dedicated Star staffers.  To Justin Weaver, stay strong. And if you approach Grady in the near future, bring flowers- and an always-on digital voice recorder.

Posted in College Media, Journalism, Student Newspaper | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Student Newspaper Drops ‘He Said/She Said’ Column After Harassment Charge

December 11, 2009 by Dan

The Fairfield Mirror has agreed to permanently drop its provocative “He Said/She Said” feature more than two months after Fairfield University students filed harassment charges against the newspaper for publishing a controversial “He Said” column that some felt “promot[ed] rape and violence against women.”

–

The newspaper’s senior executive board announced in a public letter released earlier this week that the decision was reached through mediation with the students who brought the charges against the paper (the first time such a charge has been levied against an organization instead of an individual at FU).  Part of the exec. board letter:

–

For over two months now, a debate has overtaken the campus: was the Mirror wrong for running the controversial ‘He Said’ column on Sept. 30?  That question, brought about by a motivated, brave and offended group of students, was not a difficult one to answer.  It was a mistake.  The language was too harsh and while the intention was never to offend and was never to even come close to referencing rape, it did. . . . We learned from the mediation and from internal discussions that the character and limitations of ‘He Said/She Said’ had become the problem.  It was not Surette [the writer of the offending column] or any other writers, but the character who was stuck inside the box of ‘He Said,’ expected to portray stereotypes instead of erase and challenge them.  That is why ‘He Said/She Said’ has been discontinued. It was not a barter deal, although the harassment charges were lifted.  The charges were lifted instead because they were brought about to make the Mirror listen. Once the charges served their purpose, that is, to bring both parties together, it was sensible to both sides to have the charges dropped.”

–

The paper’s editor in chief stated separately that staffers had considered the feature ripe for cancellation during the entire semester, even prior to the controversy.  As he said about the sit-down with the students who pressed the charges: “It was difficult with the rumors, media attention and other distractions to solve the situation. But when we sat down together and explained each of our sides and simply talked over the problem, we realized we had many of the same goals in common.  We feel that we can continue to provide an edgy, entertaining and humorous column . . . but agree that it is a good time to eliminate the stereotypes and ‘box’ effect that has limited the writers of the ‘He Said/She Said’ columns in the past.”

–

Prior to mediation, the fight surrounding the column had grown ugly- including a memo issued by a high-level administrator warning that the university’s financial support of the newspaper had become “null and void” [underlined in memo for emphasis] in the wake of the column’s publication.  Fortunately, school officials backed down from that overreaction.

Posted in College Media, Free Press Fights, Journalism, Journalism Ethics, Student Newspaper | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Satirical One-Night Stand Column Spurs Controversy

December 9, 2009 by Dan

A supposedly satirical column in the Dakota Student that advises men on how to execute successful one-night stands is being criticized at the University of North Dakota “as a guide on how to commit rape . . . [and for] joking about abuse.”

–

The piece, headlined “One-Night Standing: The Method,” informs students that following the ‘method’ to a tee involves a disregarding of the law and getting a potential female partner “hella drunk.” As the male writer explains, ”Get her something to drink . . . If you have the means you could just inject her with some Sodium Pentobarbitone (if this is the case, have a futon or mattress handy, she might drop to the floor).  She’s good and buzzed now, right?  Maybe a little unconscious?  Whatever, bro, it’s a one-night stand.  This is where you drop the line, something funny yet titillating to let her know your intentions.  Try this one on for size: ‘Let’s have sex,’ and if that doesn’t work, drop this bomb on her: ‘Hey I’m going to have sex with you now.’  If you’re a real dare devil just pull down your pants and get to it.”

–

Among the criticisms lodged in the comments section beneath the article: “This is terrible, you just told guys how to rape a girl.  This is so wrong on so many levels.”; “There are some things you don’t satire, even an idiot could figure that out!  What if women who were raped read this . . . This could be a horrible, painful trigger for [them].”; and “The satire hit on a hot button issue, which is exactly what it is meant to do; it elicits emotional responses. This particular piece does little to address an actual issue, but rather pokes fun at cliche date rape methods.”

–

Editors admitted that negative reactions after the column appeared in print had “spiraled far beyond any point any of us had anticipated.” As they wrote, “We deeply regret . . . that what we saw as a piece exposing the myth weaved by predators turned instead into a harrowing read for many.  If we had fully anticipated the reaction to the article, then we would have worked with [the student columnist] and, in the absence of revision, held it from print.”

–

My take: Two of the most common controversial triggers in student press content are satire and sex.  The combination of the two in a single off-base article might as well carry a complaints line phone number in the lede sentence. Ultimately, however, these things happen.  The writer’s heart seems to have been in the right place with the larger point he was attempting, but failed, to make.  I also give credit to the editors for owning up to their part in the piece’s publication.  As they noted in a public mea culpa: “[W]hile [the student columnist] is the author of the opinion piece, he’s only one part of what makes this newspaper work- it was not his decision to run the article.”

–

I also appreciate the staff’s willingness to turn a bad editorial decision into a good dialogue- about the paper’s editorial process and more importantly about the issues raised in the piece.  The original article has been left up online, a courageous move considering the fury aimed at it.  The comments section below it has also not been deactivated.  The editors have responded in an editorial and are even thanking readers for their vitriolic feedback.  Whether we like it or not, it can often be this type of controversy that reminds student journalists and readers about the importance of a quality campus newspaper in raising issues and serving as a conduit for impassioned debate.

Posted in College Media, Journalism, Journalism Ethics, Student Newspaper | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Student Journalists/Programmers: “Reservoir Dogs of the Profession”

December 7, 2009 by Dan

They are not students.  They are not journalists.  They are not programmers. They are student journalists/programmers.  (Really enunciate the term ’slash’ for full effect.)  In an interesting new piece for MediaShift, Megan Taylor profiles a half dozen students who have melded the journalism and programming languages into a workable personal model that university media programs and the industry still need to more greatly embrace and adopt.

–

Taylor: “For the most part, journalism education has not caught up with the innovations taking place in the industry. Many programs don’t offer more than an introduction to working with the web, so some students have to teach themselves.” Taylor compares these students to the Reservoir Dogs from the eponymous Tarantino film, in part for displaying a background or characteristics one would not expect.  The general similarities shared by most or all of the six: They are self-taught programmers. They are NOT journalism majors.  And they have a connection with CoPress.

–

Their last names should be familiar to anyone who has followed all-things collegemediatopia over the past year: Cutler. Sun. Spittle. Davis. Dunn. And of course, Bachhuber.  Stay tuned for my exclusive quick Q&A with Bachhuber tomorrow…

Posted in College Media, Future of Journalism, Journalism, Journalism Education, New Media | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

Malta Students Protest Campus Newspaper Censorship

December 6, 2009 by Dan

Student staffers at a satirical campus newspaper and their supporters at the University of Malta are protesting school officials’ decision to block the newspaper’s distribution on campus due to a fiction piece in the current issue that they consider sexually obscene.  According to the Times of Malta, “The newspaper was banned by the University rector because it contained a short story about sexual violence which the University at first said was also discriminatory against women. In a later statement, it said the newspaper should have warned readers it was adult reading.”

–

–

The protest, organized by a student group named Front Against Censorship, involved 150 individuals gathered on a rainy day- banging drums, reading sexually explicit classic literature (including Lady Chatterley’s Lover), and burning copies of the newspaper in an attempt at extremely blatant symbolism.  Click here or on the image below to see video of the event.

–

Posted in College Media, Free Press Fights, Journalism, Student Newspaper | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Hawaii Pacific Student Newspaper a Beacon for Censorship?

December 2, 2009 by Dan

Kalamalama means bright light, a beacon of light in the darkness, and the torch. It is also the name of the student newspaper at Hawaii Pacific University that is currently under review amid criticisms that it is not “as student run as it should be.”

–

As a Honolulu Advertiser report quoted an HPU student saying: “Two journalism students I’ve talked to say that they’ve been censored (in Kalamalama articles), but are afraid to use their names because they think they might lose their scholarships. I just don’t think it’s fair to call it a student newspaper. If your student editors aren’t free to allow what goes in, if the vice president decides what is published, then it should be called the university paper of HPU, because calling it a student paper is disingenuous to our student journalists.”

–

A petition calling for more student editorial control is being circulated and information is being gathered for a full report, one that at least publicly is being welcomed by administrators.   The defenders of the ‘bright light’ editorial guidelines argue that student content left unpublished is not a victim of censorship but poor quality. The paper’s faculty adviser: “Our policy is that this is a student newspaper.  If a student has written something, we’ll do our best to make sure it’s published. What we require first is that you do a thorough job.

–

Posted in Free Press Fights, Journalism, Student Newspaper | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment »

Exclusive Interview with College News Network Founders

November 29, 2009 by Dan

Ryan Dunn and Dave Hendricks are the co-founders of college media’s very own CNN. College News Network is a nationwide student press content-sharing service that the Ohio University duo launched very recently in the wake of UWIRE’s sudden disappearance.

–

The talented Scrippsters graciously chatted with CMM about the the basic gist of their service, their longterm goals, and their thoughts on their once-domineering, now-dormant chief competitor.  The buzzwords that stand out: nonprofit, necessity, and GoDaddy.

–

  

Dave Hendricks, a Scripps journalism student from Connecticut who once climbed Ayers Rock.

Ryan Dunn, a Scripps journalism student from Lancaster, Pa., whose favorite movie is "Bait Shop" with Bill Engvall and Billy Ray Cyrus.

–

What motivated you to start College News Network?

Ryan: We started College News Network out of necessity. I manage the opinion page of The Post, and when our well of letters dried up, we would pull a column from UWIRE. If local content isn’t an option, we still need something to put on the page.  Now, it’s a bit trickier for us, and most editors are probably in the same boat. UWIRE went under at the end of September. We quickly e-mailed a few other Ohio student papers in hopes of sharing columns and the occasional breaking news. It expanded to an actual Web site with 27 student papers from across the country on board.

–

Explain the service in a simple nut graf.

Ryan: Every day, we or our members post stories on the site that would be relevant to any student, regardless of college. When other papers in the network are hurting for content, they can check our site. Posts are marked as private so only those who signed up can see them. Membership is free, and all we ask is the original newspaper and author/designer/photographer be credited when his or her work is reprinted.

–

Any memorable moments so far?

Dave: We got a free month of hosting from GoDaddy after the company (my registrar of choice for years) botched our server setup. That’s kept our total investment to just $17.

–

What’s the long-term goal for the service?

Ryan: Basically, we want the site to keep growing. The more posts, the better. UWIRE was a safety net that also promoted our content, and that’s what we want for College News Network. As for specific goals, I’d love to have a student paper on the network from all 50 states. I’m pretty sure UWIRE had 800 members before shutting down. They set the bar.

–

What’s the plan of attack if and when UWIRE returns?

Ryan: That’s the big question, isn’t it? We know the stakes here.  UWIRE is/was the student media syndicate everyone knows. The site hired student editors (of which I was one) to add news and columns, while we rely on essentially volunteer work. It could be a very uphill battle.

–

Our main strength against UWIRE is that we have no corporate owners demanding a profit, or any intention of profit at all. College News Network doesn’t exactly have a budget. Dave and I continue putting the time in because the site’s grown into something that we’re very pleased with. We do read a lot of these newspapers anyway to see what other student papers are reporting on, that’s why we asked them to join. Of course, if UWIRE wants to buy us out for a few hundred million dollars, we’d probably listen.

–

For all the student newspaper haters out there, why do college news media matter?

Ryan: I look at student newspapers as the kind of journalism done by people who simply love reporting news. We write about serious topics that matter to students and try to cut through the jargon. Just because we’re under 25 doesn’t change a newspaper’s mission of holding people accountable. There are dumb mistakes from time to time, but these are reporters who cut class and give their all for very little pay to produce a free product. Plus, we aren’t burnouts yet.

Posted in College Media, Journalism, New Media, Student Newspaper | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments »

A Note of Thanks to USC, Annenberg for ‘& Journalism’

November 27, 2009 by Dan

During this time of thanks, I want to offer a sincere thank you to the University of Southern California. In early October, USC announced that its Annenberg School for Communication was being renamed the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.

–

In this era of uber-uncertainty and declining professional prospects within the industry, the school’s name change is a clear sign that universities will fight to keep journalism alive. The school’s dean: “The ‘Fourth Estate’ has been under siege. As one of the premier educational institutions in the United States to offer comprehensive communication, journalism and public relations programs, it is incumbent upon us to step up and publicly support the future of the profession.”

–

As the prominent journalism educator who passed the announcement my way noted, “While one could say it’s only words, I think it’s a strong signal of enduring values in a rapidly changing world.”

Posted in Journalism, Journalism Education | Tagged , | Leave a Comment »

Report: Journalism Should Be Embedded Within “Very DNA of American Higher Education”

November 25, 2009 by Dan

Journalism education will not only survive but should be embedded into “the very DNA of American higher education,” according to an Ohio State University law professor.

–

As reported in a new Lantern piece, the prof’s vision of modern j-education includes “train[ing] people from all walks of life to deal with the enormous amount of information available in the digital age.”  A separate Lantern op-ed confirmed, “During a time when the newspaper business is severely struggling, some might find it shocking to hear such a proposition. . . . Although newspapers might be slowly reaching obsolescence, journalism is still just as, if not more, important than ever. The shift toward digital media is certainly modifying the practice of journalism . . . Democracy, essentially, is based on the important principles of equality and freedom. But in order for it to function properly and as it was intended, the people must be informed. The information must be fair and accurate. This is why journalism is so important to American society and why it always will be.”

–

As enrollment grows (grows!) within journalism schools and departments at universities worldwide- while the mainstream news media simultaneously declines in staff and resources- j-students and educators will undoubtedly play an increasingly influential role in shaping the craft and reporting news that matters NOW. As Atlantic correspondent Peter Osnos blogged, “[T]he breadth of what is being offered [at j-schools] is amazing . . . The role of the university is potentially significant in the transformation of news from a primarily market-driven enterprise to recognition of its essential role as a civic asset- like education itself.”

Posted in Future of Journalism, Journalism, Journalism Education | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

University of California Campus Newspapers Editorialize (Mostly) Against Student Fees Hike

November 22, 2009 by Dan

Along with providing top-notch coverage of the outcry over the recent student fees increase within the University of California system, UC campus newspapers are also fighting back in editorials.  Below is a rundown of a few standout pieces at student papers throughout the state.

–

Daily Californian: “The Last Straw”

“What the regents clearly don’t see is the human cost of their decisions. . . . Their decisions govern the everyday lives of students, faculty and staff at the university- yet without a campus and with separate careers, the regents rarely interact with those who are most affected by their decisions.  They see numbers, percentages and a bottom line. They don’t know the middle-class students who will be forced to drop out because they can’t afford to pay more than $10,000 in fees per year. They don’t know the members of underrepresented communities, who, fazed by sticker shock, will assume the university is out of their reach.“

–

Daily Nexus: “UC Needs Alternative to Ever-Increasing Fees”

“Students feel disproportionately targeted by the UC’s hikes and cuts, shouldering a large share of the budget shortfall as fees rise and services disappear. Moreover, there is no indication whether these adjustments will suffice or if further painful steps will be necessary. The UC student of tomorrow will pay more to receive less.”

–

Daily Bruin: “Potential mid-year fee hike unfair”

“Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the California Master Plan for Higher Education.  The statewide plan articulates the mission of public education: to keep higher education in California affordable and achievable for everyone. Nearly half a century later, the particulars of the plan are no longer applicable to a public education system that has changed drastically since the document’s inception. For instance, the plan has no standardized policy for setting student fees, so increases are inconsistent and unpredictable.”

–

Ricardo Martinez, Daily Nexus

–

Guardian: “We’ve Got the Momentum— Let’s Run With It”

“The thing about the UC Board of Regents is that no matter how violent a protest gets or how dramatic a scene it are confronted with, it remain completely unaffected. At the end of the day, a few hundred people storming around with cardboard signs is a relatively small inconvenience. Local newspapers will run a couple of stories. . . . But soon the hype will pass, and everything will go back to normal.  Until next year, that is, when the board decides to raise fees yet again. And that right there is the heart of the problem. This whole unfortunate charade is an unending cycle.”

–

A Guardian editorial illustration accompanying a related piece. (UC San Diego)

–

A different take… City on a Hill Press: “Misinformed Enthusiasm”

“I’m sitting in lecture on Wednesday, trying to get the education that I’m paying over $8,000 per quarter to receive, and in barge five students, faces painted, wielding signs that warn of 32 percent fee hikes and shouting at the students before them. Through a megaphone, they declare that our student fees are going to construction projects instead of to our education, and that UC President Mark Yudof enjoys a $900,000 annual salary while we struggle to make ends meet.  Not quite.”

Posted in College Media, Journalism, Student Newspaper | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Northwestern Innocence Project Sparks Journalism Debate

November 20, 2009 by Dan

In case you have been stuck on no-journalism-allowed island recently: Past undergraduate journalism students at Northwestern University working on the famed Innocence Project have been accused of bribing witnesses and acting somewhat inappropriately while investigating a murder case that eventually set a wrongfully-convicted man free.  As the New York Times reports: Illinois prosecutors “said that during their three years of work on the case, the students . . . paid witnesses money, flirted with them and, in one instance, flashed a shotgun.”

–

From the evidence that Innocence Project head and NU professor David Protess presents in return- plus my general faith in the Medill program- I have almost no doubt the charges are untrue. The actual case though is not as interesting as the precedents it has the potential to set, extend or set back within collegemediatopia.

–

For example, the prosecution is arguing you cannot be a student journalist unless you publish!  Kind of interesting.  The argument is that students are not protected under relevant free press laws because they never published any work (at least in a traditional journalism way). What do you think? It is a tricky question in an age of unconventional communication techniques.  (For example, the students’ work was obviously hyped on the related project’s Web site.  Does that not count as publication?)

–

My take: Protess and his Medill minions should be rewarded, not subpoenaed.  They are prime examples of a larger trend in which student journalism will have evermore significant real-world implications.  By extension, j-students will increasingly find themselves in the crosshairs.  They are undertaking the work the professional press used to have the staff, time, and resources to do.

Posted in College Media, Journalism, Journalism Education, Journalism Ethics | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

College News Network: The New UWIRE?

November 19, 2009 by Dan

It is the story of the student press so far in fall 2009: UWIRE’s vanishing act.  It happened without warning- and lots of questions remain.  What happened (and is happening) behind the scenes?  Is its MIA status temporary or long-term?  What does it mean for oft-shared-never-shy student press content previously featured and available for poaching on the site?

–

In a new MediaShift piece, Center for Innovation in College Media director Bryan Murley provides a nice summary of the stoppage situation, including pulling together all the scattered quotes and posts (even one of mine) that have been tossed into the world hinting at and seeking an explanation.

–

According to Murley, one new student-initiated service angling to potentially take its place, or simply become a content-sharing player: College News Network.  Run by two Ohio University students (both former Post editors), the service (CNN?) boasts a 14-paper contingent so far, including a few biggies!  The WordPress site screams beta and its no-touch-no-fuss rule about all content may cause problems if it was to grow, but it is definitely yet another example of student press empowerment 2.0.

–

One of the founders: “I’d interned at the Columbus Dispatch this summer, which spearheaded a content-sharing agreement among Ohio’s newspapers. We figured a content-sharing network would help fill space on the Post’s opinion page and allow college papers to share big stories, like the out-of-control street parties at Kent State and Ohio University last spring. The arrangement should benefit student reporters, who gain access to a wider audience, [as well as] readers at colleges across the country, who will gain access to perspectives and news from other student-run media.”

Posted in College Media, Journalism, New Media, Student Newspaper | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Older Posts »