BY CASEY TRIMM AND CHLOE SFERRA
Last semester The Denisonian was a part of a group discussion with one focus: what does journalism look like at Denison? Until recently, with the Narrative Journalism concentration, there were only a few classes that students could talk where the focus was journalism (Shoutout to our advisor Alan Miller for those classes).
As we thought about journalism on campus and our role as a newspaper on campus, we had to take into account the changing world of journalism as we know it. With new technology and new opinions of reporters, we want The Denisonian to stay true to what we think journalism means to our staff.
First, we want to practice ethical journalism. Part of what we think our organization does is help students practice writing, reporting, editing and other tools associated with journalism. That includes remaining unbiased and representing all points of view. We want to report facts and we want to publish about all types of campus groups. Please, call us out if we stray from this point. If you are frustrated, write to us. We want diverse perspectives and opinions that challenge our own. We want to be held accountable for what we print.
Second, we want to keep up with the times. A goal of ours this semester is to increase our online presence, especially the website. Print, as nearly everyone knows, is outdated. While we personally love the feel of a fresh paper and the smell of the ink, we know people like to consume their information online. We hope to adapt to the times.
Third, we want to create more visuals. Writing is an important part of our organization, but pictures and videos can capture a different level to a story. In addition to a better online presence, we look forward to publishing more pictures and videos from students. A newspaper has a page limit, but a website does not. We hope there are students interested in posting their products with us and that there are readers interested in seeing their work.
As we embark on this new semester, we are both excited and prepared. Print journalism is a historical marker, as The Denisonian is one of the only tangible records of campus life. We hope to continue communicating through our paper meaningful messages throughout Denison and Granville’s community.
We can’t wait to engage with our audience, bring on new staff members and continue providing our readers with the content they deserve. Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or attend one of our weekly meetings on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. in Knapp 106.