Barack Obama has garnered more than twice as many daily newspaper endorsements as John McCain, according to Editor and Publisher. But the results are even more lopsided for college newspapers: 65 to 1.
Of the 66 college newspapers counted in the E&P tally, only one -- The Daily Mississippian at the University of Mississippi -- endorsed McCain.
In its Oct. 28 endorsement, The Daily Mississippian agrees with McCain's argument that he is the more experienced of the two candidates.
"We feel Sen. McCain’s experience in foreign affairs and his decision to not raise taxes on anyone of any class of society makes him the clear choice for president," the editors write. "Sen. McCain has a history of stepping across party lines; the same cannot be said of Sen. Obama."
The editorial notes that the five editors on the editorial board were split on the decision.
The pro-McCain editorial was the most read story on The Daily Mississippian's Web site last week. At last count, 31 people had commented on it, offering a range of opinions.
Among the red-state college papers that endorsed Obama are The Louisville Cardinal at the University of Louisville, The Daily Gamecock at the University of South Carolina, the Daily Texan at the University of Texas-Austin, the Oklahoma Daily at the University of Oklahoma and The Optimist at Abeline Christian University. The Arizona Daily Wildcat at the University of Arizona, McCain's home state, also came out for Obama.
For a list of college newspaper endorsements, scroll down to the bottom of this article on E&P.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
A lousy week for journalists -- and j-students
KANSAS CITY - What a week to be at the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention! Here I am with all these eager young college students, many of whom harbor dreams of entering the field of journalism in the next year or two, and there’s nothing but carnage in the industry.
As David Carr writes in The New York Times this morning, “It’s been an especially rotten few days for people who type on deadline."
Just consider:
All this came amid news that the nation's daily newspapers saw circulation decline more steeply than anticipated. On Monday the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported that average weekday circulation was 38,165,848 at 507 of the nation's leading dailies in the six months ending in September, a 4.6 percent decline from 40,022,356 a year earlier. Up till then, advertising revenue had risen quarter after quarter.
Here at the Marriott in downtown KC, where nearly 1,800 students and advisers involved in college media are gathered for five days of workshops and panel discussions, we urge students to develop new skills. We encourage them to "think multimedia," we teach them how to create interactive maps, audio slide shows and video reports for the Web so that they'll be able to do things that 25-year veteran reporters and photographers can't. We tell them they need to be flexible, creative and skilled in many areas to survive and thrive.
But even with such new media skills, where are they going to get jobs? News Web sites are struggling too. And online publications do not appear to be the savior of their print counterparts.
As Carr notes in his column, "More than 90 percent of the newspaper industry’s revenue still derives from the print product, a legacy technology that attracts fewer consumers and advertisers every single day."
Two weeks ago, the Times and other news media reported that online revenue at newspaper sites was stalling. In the second quarter, it was down 2.4 percent compared with last year, to $777 million, according to the Newspaper Association of America.
The impact here in Kansas City is palpable. Only three media companies sent recruiters to the convention, down from about 14 in previous years. Why should they meet with potential employees when they have no jobs to fill?
And still we talk here about the power of "capital-J" journalism. We encourage our students to seek out the truth, to expose wrongs, to, as the old saying goes, "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."
What will students here be thinking as they head home Saturday and Sunday after sitting through session after session and speech after speech? Will they mull over the words of inspiration and the heartfelt advice from media professionals and journalism educators? Will they pledge to develop new skills and embrace new media?
Or will they simply think about changing majors. Maybe philosophy isn't so impractical after all. At least opportunities for philosophers aren't evaporating before their eyes.
As David Carr writes in The New York Times this morning, “It’s been an especially rotten few days for people who type on deadline."
Just consider:
- The Christian Science Monitor announced Tuesday it would cease publication of its weekday print edition.
- On the same day Time Inc., publisher of Time magazine, Fortune, People and Sports Illustrated, announced it was cutting 600 jobs and reorganizing its staff.
- Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the country, revealed plans to lay off 10 percent of its work force, as many as 3,000 people.
- On Monday, the Tribune Company announced it was cutting 75 more jobs from the newsroom of The Los Angeles Times, leaving it approximately half the size it was at the turn of this century.
- And The Star-Ledger of Newark, the 15th-largest paper in the country, declared plans to reduce its editorial staff by 40 percent.
All this came amid news that the nation's daily newspapers saw circulation decline more steeply than anticipated. On Monday the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported that average weekday circulation was 38,165,848 at 507 of the nation's leading dailies in the six months ending in September, a 4.6 percent decline from 40,022,356 a year earlier. Up till then, advertising revenue had risen quarter after quarter.
Here at the Marriott in downtown KC, where nearly 1,800 students and advisers involved in college media are gathered for five days of workshops and panel discussions, we urge students to develop new skills. We encourage them to "think multimedia," we teach them how to create interactive maps, audio slide shows and video reports for the Web so that they'll be able to do things that 25-year veteran reporters and photographers can't. We tell them they need to be flexible, creative and skilled in many areas to survive and thrive.
But even with such new media skills, where are they going to get jobs? News Web sites are struggling too. And online publications do not appear to be the savior of their print counterparts.
As Carr notes in his column, "More than 90 percent of the newspaper industry’s revenue still derives from the print product, a legacy technology that attracts fewer consumers and advertisers every single day."
Two weeks ago, the Times and other news media reported that online revenue at newspaper sites was stalling. In the second quarter, it was down 2.4 percent compared with last year, to $777 million, according to the Newspaper Association of America.
The impact here in Kansas City is palpable. Only three media companies sent recruiters to the convention, down from about 14 in previous years. Why should they meet with potential employees when they have no jobs to fill?
And still we talk here about the power of "capital-J" journalism. We encourage our students to seek out the truth, to expose wrongs, to, as the old saying goes, "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."
What will students here be thinking as they head home Saturday and Sunday after sitting through session after session and speech after speech? Will they mull over the words of inspiration and the heartfelt advice from media professionals and journalism educators? Will they pledge to develop new skills and embrace new media?
Or will they simply think about changing majors. Maybe philosophy isn't so impractical after all. At least opportunities for philosophers aren't evaporating before their eyes.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Study multimedia in Italy, N. Ireland this summer
In case you're wondering why I've posted so little lately, it's because I've been devoting a lot of time to negotiating an agreement between San Francisco State 
University and the Institute for Education in International Media to offer multimedia study-abroad programs next summer. The deal is done!
In 2009 SFSU and ieiMedia will co-sponsor month-long programs in Urbino, Italy (June 30-July 30) and Armagh, Northern Ireland (July 15-August 16).
Students will be able to earn 3 units of journalism credit through the SFSU College of Extended Learning. Students and recent graduates from all universities and majors are welcome to apply. The application deadline is Feb. 1.
The institute, a pioneer in converged media education, has been taking students abroad since 2001.
The programs in Armagh and Urbino are a continuation of the ieiMedia philosophy of taking students to communities that are off the beaten tourist track, allowing them to immerse themselves in the local culture. Students will learn various aspects of digital storytelling -- including photography, video, writing for the Web, blogging and Web design -- and will produce an online multimedia documentary about the local community (see InArmagh.net and InCagli.net for examples of work from previous years). Students will also study intercultural communication and Irish history and culture (Armagh) and Italian language (Urbino).
The cost of the program is $4,475 plus airfare. For more information and an application for Urbino contact UrbinoProject@gmail.com; for Armagh contact ArmaghProject@gmail.com.
About Armagh, N. Ireland
Situated on the Irish Republic’s border, Armagh is a city rich in culture and
history. It was here that St. Patrick reportedly built the first stone church in 445 and two cathedrals in his name still tower over the city. With 15,000 residents, Armagh has a wide range of attractions: museums, national parks, historic castles and houses, a modern theater, a university, Ireland’s only planetarium, and numerous restaurants and pubs. Activities include golf, fishing, bicycling, and hiking. Armagh is served by public transportation and is one hour from Belfast, two from Dublin, and three from Galway.
Classes will be held in the AmmA Centre, a multimedia creative learning centre in Armagh. Students will live in the Armagh City Youth Hostel,a modern facility with private baths. Some meals will be provided, and students will have access to a large communal kitchen, as well as laundry facilities.
About Urbino, Italy
Urbino is a picturesque Renaissance hill town and the capital of the Marche region,
a beautiful but little-touristed region of Central Italy. The city’s impressive Ducal Palace houses one of the most important collections of Renaissance paintings in the world. The artist Raphael was born in Urbino (in 1483) and visitors can tour his family home, which is now a museum. Other attractions include a small botanical garden, a medieval church and a 14thcentury fortress offering stunning views of the town and the surrounding hills.
The University of Urbino, founded in 1506, will provide classroom space as well as housing. Students will live in a residence hall; all meals in the university dining facility are included.
University and the Institute for Education in International Media to offer multimedia study-abroad programs next summer. The deal is done!In 2009 SFSU and ieiMedia will co-sponsor month-long programs in Urbino, Italy (June 30-July 30) and Armagh, Northern Ireland (July 15-August 16).
Students will be able to earn 3 units of journalism credit through the SFSU College of Extended Learning. Students and recent graduates from all universities and majors are welcome to apply. The application deadline is Feb. 1.
The institute, a pioneer in converged media education, has been taking students abroad since 2001.
The programs in Armagh and Urbino are a continuation of the ieiMedia philosophy of taking students to communities that are off the beaten tourist track, allowing them to immerse themselves in the local culture. Students will learn various aspects of digital storytelling -- including photography, video, writing for the Web, blogging and Web design -- and will produce an online multimedia documentary about the local community (see InArmagh.net and InCagli.net for examples of work from previous years). Students will also study intercultural communication and Irish history and culture (Armagh) and Italian language (Urbino).
The cost of the program is $4,475 plus airfare. For more information and an application for Urbino contact UrbinoProject@gmail.com; for Armagh contact ArmaghProject@gmail.com.
About Armagh, N. Ireland
Situated on the Irish Republic’s border, Armagh is a city rich in culture and
history. It was here that St. Patrick reportedly built the first stone church in 445 and two cathedrals in his name still tower over the city. With 15,000 residents, Armagh has a wide range of attractions: museums, national parks, historic castles and houses, a modern theater, a university, Ireland’s only planetarium, and numerous restaurants and pubs. Activities include golf, fishing, bicycling, and hiking. Armagh is served by public transportation and is one hour from Belfast, two from Dublin, and three from Galway. Classes will be held in the AmmA Centre, a multimedia creative learning centre in Armagh. Students will live in the Armagh City Youth Hostel,a modern facility with private baths. Some meals will be provided, and students will have access to a large communal kitchen, as well as laundry facilities.
About Urbino, Italy
Urbino is a picturesque Renaissance hill town and the capital of the Marche region,
a beautiful but little-touristed region of Central Italy. The city’s impressive Ducal Palace houses one of the most important collections of Renaissance paintings in the world. The artist Raphael was born in Urbino (in 1483) and visitors can tour his family home, which is now a museum. Other attractions include a small botanical garden, a medieval church and a 14thcentury fortress offering stunning views of the town and the surrounding hills.The University of Urbino, founded in 1506, will provide classroom space as well as housing. Students will live in a residence hall; all meals in the university dining facility are included.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Rob Curley reports from the front of new journalism
Many wondered why new media visionary Rob Curley would leave the prestigious Washington Post, one of the pillars of old journalism, for the Las Vegas Sun, a little upstart in the desert.
He explained why in a blog post last week.
"I’m more and more convinced every day that the Las Vegas Sun is the most interesting local newspaper in the nation — both to read and to work at," he wrote. For details read the post.
Mindy McAdams offered her thoughts on Why the Las Vegas Sun is So Great in a series of blog posts earlier that week.
Students trying to make a great local newspaper for their university communities can take lessons from the Sun. Go hyperlocal and use multimedia and interactivity to the max. The readers will follow.
He explained why in a blog post last week.
"I’m more and more convinced every day that the Las Vegas Sun is the most interesting local newspaper in the nation — both to read and to work at," he wrote. For details read the post.
Mindy McAdams offered her thoughts on Why the Las Vegas Sun is So Great in a series of blog posts earlier that week.
Students trying to make a great local newspaper for their university communities can take lessons from the Sun. Go hyperlocal and use multimedia and interactivity to the max. The readers will follow.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Student Political Journalism Junkies to Meet in DC
The Institute on Political Journalism invites students to attend "Election 2008: The Press, the Presidency & Politicians," a two-day conference for collegiate journalists in the nation's capital.
The Institute of Political Journalism is an arm of The Fund for American Studies, which was founded in 1967 "to help instill in young people an appreciation for the American form of government and the free enterprise system. TFAS sponsors Institutes that teach college students about the principles and values upon which the United States was founded."
Organizers of the conference promise opportunities for students to hone their professional skills, network with working journalists and meet fellow journalism students from across the county.
Panel sessions will include:
The conference is open to college students with an interest in journalism and politics as well as faculty members or media advisers.
The conference registration fee of $75 includes conference sessions, materials and most meals. Participants requiring overnight accommodations will be charged the discounted room rate of $75 per person per night (double occupancy) and $150 per person per night (single occupancy). People who register by Oct. 1 will receive a discount of $25 off the registration fee and $25 per night off the hotel fees. The final deadline to register is Oct. 14.
The conference will take place at The Liaison Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C.
Registration is limited. Register here.
For more information on the conference, contact Joe Starrs, IPJ Director at jstarrs@tfas.org or 202.986.0384.
The Institute of Political Journalism is an arm of The Fund for American Studies, which was founded in 1967 "to help instill in young people an appreciation for the American form of government and the free enterprise system. TFAS sponsors Institutes that teach college students about the principles and values upon which the United States was founded."
Organizers of the conference promise opportunities for students to hone their professional skills, network with working journalists and meet fellow journalism students from across the county.
Panel sessions will include:
- Covering Capitol Hill: The Story behind the story
- Media Bias in Presidential Elections: Say it isn't so!
- Sex, Lies, & Slander: Misbehaving politicians & the press who covers them
- Covering the Campaign of 08': View from the press bus
- Live from the White House!: Reporters who cover the President
- Only the Facts Please: Rumors versus sources
- Reporting with Polls: What the numbers don't tell us
- Report Card on the Press: How well were economic & business issues covered
- Get a quick, affordable two day dose of political journalism
- Hear from experienced journalists from Politico, Fox News, USA Today, The Washington Post and more
- Network with students journalists from all over the country
- Meet potential employers
- Visit Washington's new NEWSEUM
- Tour the U.S. Capitol Building
- Soak up the sights and sounds of the nation's capital
The conference is open to college students with an interest in journalism and politics as well as faculty members or media advisers.
The conference registration fee of $75 includes conference sessions, materials and most meals. Participants requiring overnight accommodations will be charged the discounted room rate of $75 per person per night (double occupancy) and $150 per person per night (single occupancy). People who register by Oct. 1 will receive a discount of $25 off the registration fee and $25 per night off the hotel fees. The final deadline to register is Oct. 14.
The conference will take place at The Liaison Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C.
Registration is limited. Register here.
For more information on the conference, contact Joe Starrs, IPJ Director at jstarrs@tfas.org or 202.986.0384.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Column: Old media and new clash at NYU
Alana Taylor, a plugged-in, media-savvy, blogging journalism student at New York University, has an interesting column on PBS' MediaShift critiquing the old-school journalism education she's getting at the venerable journalism school.
Taylor, a junior, is taking a class called “Reporting Gen Y (a.k.a. Quarterlifers),” which she says is one of the few new media classes offered at the school. When the teacher asked if anyone in the class had a blog, Taylor was the only one to raise her hand.
"It comes as a shock to me that the students in a class about 'how our generation is very much invested in the Internet' are not actually as involved," she writes.
Taylor is openly critical of her school for its emphasis on old-school journalism -- for focusing on magazines and newspapers and requiring students to bring The New York Times to class every day. "What is so fascinating about the move from print to digital is the freedom to be your own publisher, editor, marketer, and brand," Taylor writes. "But, surprisingly, NYU does not offer the kinds of classes I want. It continues to focus its core requirements around learning how to work your way up the traditional journalism ladder."
Nearly as interesting as Taylor's blog are the comments it elicits. Check out the piece and add to the discussion.
Taylor, a junior, is taking a class called “Reporting Gen Y (a.k.a. Quarterlifers),” which she says is one of the few new media classes offered at the school. When the teacher asked if anyone in the class had a blog, Taylor was the only one to raise her hand.
"It comes as a shock to me that the students in a class about 'how our generation is very much invested in the Internet' are not actually as involved," she writes.
Taylor is openly critical of her school for its emphasis on old-school journalism -- for focusing on magazines and newspapers and requiring students to bring The New York Times to class every day. "What is so fascinating about the move from print to digital is the freedom to be your own publisher, editor, marketer, and brand," Taylor writes. "But, surprisingly, NYU does not offer the kinds of classes I want. It continues to focus its core requirements around learning how to work your way up the traditional journalism ladder."
Nearly as interesting as Taylor's blog are the comments it elicits. Check out the piece and add to the discussion.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Online News Association hosts job fair in DC
The Online News Association's 2008 conference in Washington, DC, will feature a job fair on Thursday, Sept. 11 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The job fair at the Capitol Hilton is a great opportunity for student journalists to network with professionals and learn about career opportunities in media. Among the companies that are scheduled to attend are NPR, Gannett and Tribune Media Services.
The day will begin with short presentations from the recruiters about their companies; interviews will take place throughout the day.
Registration is required. Admission for ONA members is free; students who are not ONA members, $25; professionals and other non-ONA members, $50. Recruiters can sign up for $250.00
You can register for the job fair here
If you have any questions, contact Acting Executive Director Tom Regan at director@journalists.org.
The job fair at the Capitol Hilton is a great opportunity for student journalists to network with professionals and learn about career opportunities in media. Among the companies that are scheduled to attend are NPR, Gannett and Tribune Media Services.
The day will begin with short presentations from the recruiters about their companies; interviews will take place throughout the day.
Registration is required. Admission for ONA members is free; students who are not ONA members, $25; professionals and other non-ONA members, $50. Recruiters can sign up for $250.00
You can register for the job fair here
If you have any questions, contact Acting Executive Director Tom Regan at director@journalists.org.
Update: Arrested student photographers released
The two University of Kentucky student photographers and photo adviser who were arrested on suspicion of rioting outside the Republican National Convention Monday were released without being charged Wednesday, according to an article in the Kentucky Kernel, the student newspaper.
Student photographers Ed Matthews and Britney McIntosh and Kernel photo adviser Jim Winn were detained for two nights at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center in St. Paul, Minn. They were released without being charged with a crime but an investigation is continuing.
The two student photographers are on the staff of the Kentucky Kernel but they were not covering the Republican National Convention for the paper.
Read more about it at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune,, the Lexington Herald-Leader and the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Student photographers Ed Matthews and Britney McIntosh and Kernel photo adviser Jim Winn were detained for two nights at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center in St. Paul, Minn. They were released without being charged with a crime but an investigation is continuing.
The two student photographers are on the staff of the Kentucky Kernel but they were not covering the Republican National Convention for the paper.
Read more about it at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune,, the Lexington Herald-Leader and the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Kentucky Kernal photogs arrested at RNC
Two student photographers and the photo adviser for the Kentucky Kernel were arrested at the Republican National Convention Monday in St. Paul, Minn., on charges of felony rioting while photographing a protest outside the convention, according to the University of Kentucky newspaper.
Photographers Ed Matthews, a senior at the University of Kentucky, and Britney McIntosh, a sophomore, and adviser Jim Winn were three of 286 people arrested during protests at the convention, the Kentucky Kernel reported.
The two photographers were not on assignment for the newspaper but were documenting the convention on their own, according to Editor in Chief Brad Luttrell. The Kernel decided not to cover the Republican National Convention because it had not covered the Democratic National Convention.
For more coverage of the students' arrest see reports by the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Herald-Leader.
Photographers Ed Matthews, a senior at the University of Kentucky, and Britney McIntosh, a sophomore, and adviser Jim Winn were three of 286 people arrested during protests at the convention, the Kentucky Kernel reported.The two photographers were not on assignment for the newspaper but were documenting the convention on their own, according to Editor in Chief Brad Luttrell. The Kernel decided not to cover the Republican National Convention because it had not covered the Democratic National Convention.
For more coverage of the students' arrest see reports by the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Herald-Leader.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Daily Reveille offers model hurricane coverage
If you want a great example of how a student newspaper can cover a major breaking news story as it unfolds, just check out The Daily Reveille at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
The newspaper is covering every angle of Hurricane Gustav, from the arrival of U.S. Army and National Guard units to the booming business at the local Domino's pizza restaurant. The staff has redesigned the newspaper's home pages so that all the news "above the fold" focuses on Gustav.
Pat Parish, associate director of the LSU Student Media Office, said the radio, TV and newspaper staffs "are doing a lot of new things this fall that really exploit the possibilities of online. For Gustav, their goal is to own the LSU angle."
Much of the staff is camped out in the Student Media offices, Parish wrote in a post the College Media Advisers listserv. "It's a good sturdy building -- with upper floors to flee to, if the levee should break!"
Parish herself is microblogging the storm on Twitter. You can follow her posts at SouthLousiana.
The newspaper's Web site offers truly comprehensive coverage of the hurricane, making use not just of its own staff but campus and national resources. Coverage includes:
The Daily Reveille's coverage offers a model other student newspapers dealing with a major news event can turn to.
The newspaper is covering every angle of Hurricane Gustav, from the arrival of U.S. Army and National Guard units to the booming business at the local Domino's pizza restaurant. The staff has redesigned the newspaper's home pages so that all the news "above the fold" focuses on Gustav.Pat Parish, associate director of the LSU Student Media Office, said the radio, TV and newspaper staffs "are doing a lot of new things this fall that really exploit the possibilities of online. For Gustav, their goal is to own the LSU angle."
Much of the staff is camped out in the Student Media offices, Parish wrote in a post the College Media Advisers listserv. "It's a good sturdy building -- with upper floors to flee to, if the levee should break!"
Parish herself is microblogging the storm on Twitter. You can follow her posts at SouthLousiana.
The newspaper's Web site offers truly comprehensive coverage of the hurricane, making use not just of its own staff but campus and national resources. Coverage includes:
- Frequent news updates (posted all through the night)
- A live video stream showing the storm
- A link to the National Hurricane Center's hurricane tracking map
- A hurricane blog
- A link to the LSU Hurricane Alert Center
- A list of closures on campus
- A special multimedia section with videos about the storm.
- A poll asking readers if they have evacuated.
The Daily Reveille's coverage offers a model other student newspapers dealing with a major news event can turn to.
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