College papers must cover news
Issue date: 2/9/09 Section: Opinion
On small, close-knit college campuses, the question can be posed if the job of the media is any different than that of larger universities, or for that matter, of actual big time print media services. The truthful, unbiased answer should be no. The news should be reported to the fullest, no matter the size of the publication.
With that said, depending on what news is reported, it is undeniable that controversy will arise based on people's beliefs of what they feel is newsworthy or not. Drugs, homicide, sexual misconduct and politics are, more times than not, front-page stories. This is simply because it is news that is important and affects the community.
In a smaller community, of course, the impact of hard-hitting front-page news involving members of that intimate area will cause more of a reaction than if such information was published in a city the size of Chicago. Even if this is the case, reporters or members of any print media should not be discouraged, shunned nor criticized for doing the job asked of them based on their occupation.
Making campus communities aware of real news other than the typical press release or professor winning an outstanding achievement award is a must if journalism is to continue to exist on college campuses. Images can hurt, and so can the stories that accompany them, but by no means does that make them not newsworthy or untrue.
One argument, however, is understandable as to why students on a small campus go into an uproar when they see something published that they are not used to. The main argument: was it necessary, or was it just done to get attention? These are legitimate critiques, but things involving college print media has to be done up-to-par with massive publications such as the Chicago Sun-Times or the Chicago Tribune. Also, looking at those publications on any given day, it is almost expected to see controversial stories side-by-side with relevant photographs.
And there is also the issue of private versus public knowledge. Just because something is published and it may be your first time ever seeing or knowing of the information does not mean that the information is nowhere else to be found. Official Web sites, whether government or commercial, often have a lot of information at any viewers' full disclosure, if they choose to search for it.
In the meantime, college media services should operate just like any other media organizations, and news value, not news content, should be the main issue.
With that said, depending on what news is reported, it is undeniable that controversy will arise based on people's beliefs of what they feel is newsworthy or not. Drugs, homicide, sexual misconduct and politics are, more times than not, front-page stories. This is simply because it is news that is important and affects the community.
In a smaller community, of course, the impact of hard-hitting front-page news involving members of that intimate area will cause more of a reaction than if such information was published in a city the size of Chicago. Even if this is the case, reporters or members of any print media should not be discouraged, shunned nor criticized for doing the job asked of them based on their occupation.
Making campus communities aware of real news other than the typical press release or professor winning an outstanding achievement award is a must if journalism is to continue to exist on college campuses. Images can hurt, and so can the stories that accompany them, but by no means does that make them not newsworthy or untrue.
One argument, however, is understandable as to why students on a small campus go into an uproar when they see something published that they are not used to. The main argument: was it necessary, or was it just done to get attention? These are legitimate critiques, but things involving college print media has to be done up-to-par with massive publications such as the Chicago Sun-Times or the Chicago Tribune. Also, looking at those publications on any given day, it is almost expected to see controversial stories side-by-side with relevant photographs.
And there is also the issue of private versus public knowledge. Just because something is published and it may be your first time ever seeing or knowing of the information does not mean that the information is nowhere else to be found. Official Web sites, whether government or commercial, often have a lot of information at any viewers' full disclosure, if they choose to search for it.
In the meantime, college media services should operate just like any other media organizations, and news value, not news content, should be the main issue.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
El Ojo
posted 2/09/09 @ 1:20 AM CST
Good editorial, but you backed into it. Unless one also reads the letter to the editor, or knows about the drug bust story, there's no context here. Just come out and say it, folks. (Continued…)
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