Campus newspaper editors offer advice
by Jennifer Lind, associate editor
Not
getting the press coverage you think your group deserves? Convinced that
editors and reporters are inept or have a grudge against you? It might be
time to re-evaluate how you’re dealing with the campus newspaper. “Just
because they (student leaders) are in a position of power, that doesn’t
assure them the front page,” says Melissa Westphal, managing editor of the
Northern Star at Northern Illinois University.
So before you spend the
next year complaining—take action! Student Leader went
straight to the source—editors—and got advice on what leaders can do (or not
do) to strengthen relations with the press.
Understand from the beginning that editors and reporters aren’t going to get excited about every program, event, or idea that you toss their way. They probably think of your organization’s achievements as “soft” news and aren’t interested in covering the annual bachelor auction because it isn’t the type of article that’s going to stimulate readers. The concept of “newsworthy” varies on any given day depending on the school, but there are some universally understood guidelines to follow when pitching a story. “Newsworthy for a college publication is whatever concerns the students, faculty, and community that the newspaper serves,” says Erin Joy, 00-01 editor in chief of The Gateway at the University of Nebraska, Omaha. Give journalists ideas that have campuswide relevance, and you stand a better chance of getting covered. “Newsworthy means an event or situation that will have the greatest affect on the most number of students or members of the university community,” says Spaine Stephens, news editor of the Technician at North Carolina State University.
One way to ensure press attention is to develop inventive and unusual programming. “Something they [campus organizations] do every single year doesn’t merit a story—that’s what advertising is for. We base our coverage on what’s new and different,” says Mike Connolly, editor in chief of The Observer at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
Give the press “firsts” and “mosts.” Jennifer Walsh, 00-01 editor in chief of The Daily University Star at Southwest Texas State University says, “We like events that are different. The standard ribbon cutting is boring—find an innovative way to make your event stand out.” You have a better chance of getting ink if you pitch your story as “the most money ever raised,” the highest voter turnout,” or “the largest victory margin.” At Wichita State University in Kansas, Sunflower editor Vanessa Morsse says, “Any events that concern students are worth consideration especially if they’re timely, prominent, unusual, or first-time events,” However, before you start planning your next underwater basket weaving fund-raiser, remember that your activity should still appeal to the masses. “An event that is specifically unique but holds broad enough appeal to warrant student attention and interest is newsworthy,” says Adam Karlin, news editor of The Daily at the University of Washington.
Gaining notoriety
With all of the campus
organizations vying for coverage, what can student leaders do to get the
press’ attention? “Take a stand on an issue or try something different, even
when it fails. Action gets my attention,” says Notre Dame’s Connolly. “When
our student leaders take a stand on a controversial issue, that makes our
paper take notice,” says SWT’s Walsh. “If they sit on the fence and don’t
pick a side, it’s not as exciting.” At The College of New Jersey,
The Signal’s Editor in Chief Kate Pezzimenti says, “The biggest problem
with campus leaders is they tend to clam up, hold back, or don’t want to be
quoted on a lot of what they want to say when they know it’s going to be in
print a few days later for the whole campus to read.”
If you’re ethical, up-front,
polite, and realistic, the press will notice. “I was pleased by a particular
SG nominee who straight-out campaigned on campus by interacting with people
at student meeting spots and really conversing with them,” says Larissa
Lytwyn, features editor of The Recorder at Central Connecticut
State University. “His energy and dynamic personality really impressed
me. His sincerity and commitment clearly showed.”
When dealing with the newspaper,
telling the truth is vital. “Always be honest,” says SWT’s Walsh. “When
student leaders lie, often the press already knows the truth and the leaders
look foolish.” SG officers should remember not to make any outlandish
campaign promises just to get elected. “The more honest they [student
leaders] are, the better their dealings with the press will be,” says Notre
Dame’s Connolly.
Campus leaders often make the mistake of not informing the newspaper about their projects, says Sara Eberhard, editor in chief of The Voice at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. “It’s free and requires little effort, yet generally, we have to ask for the information. I guess it’s easier to complain about low student turn-out at events,” she says.
“Very rarely do organizations take the initiative to alert us about upcoming events,” says TCNJ’s Pezzimenti. “Usually, the staff covers what they hear about or see heavily advertised. There are so many organizations that it’s impossible to know what they’re doing unless they inform us,” she says.
As SWT’s Walsh says, “Some organizations complain about coverage, but those same organizations only tell us about the event after it’s over. We’re not psychic.”
It’s also important to give the press plenty of warning about your upcoming projects. “Groups tend to get things in at the last second, and I or other editors have to say that there simply isn’t anyone who can cover the event on such short notice,” says Hank Brockett, entertainment editor of the Northern Star at Northern Illinois University. “Advance notice always helps, but not too much advance notice because newsrooms invariably are messy and things can be misplaced. A few weeks should give an editor time to get a reporter on the story and plenty of time to call and eventually write the story in a timely manner.”
Make it a priority to get familiar with the publication’s production schedule and editorial process. “I would suggest just going in, recognizing that the paper is something you’re not familiar with, and asking for a few free minutes to see how it’s like from that end,” Brockett says. Many newspapers have weekly meetings during which the editors assign articles and discuss possible story ideas. “Know when the paper’s big planning meeting is,” says Notre Dame’s Connolly.
Even if you don’t have a story idea to sell, stay in contact with section editors and reporters. “Set up personal meetings not just phone conversations or e-mail,” says Jonathan Schuler, editor in chief of The Diamondback at the University of Maryland. “Go out to lunch or go for a drink. Sit down and talk and lay out what you hope to get covered, but realize that there’s probably going to have to be some give and take on both sides.” Russell Rizzo, editor in chief of The GW Hatchet at George Washington University in Washington D.C., offers student leaders these tips for getting along with the press. “Be professional, keep in touch, arrange meetings to talk about disagreements instead of emails, don’t call simply when you want coverage or you’re upset; establish a working relationship,” he says.
What
irritates editors?
In addition to knowing how to
increase your group’s chances for coverage, it’s important to recognize what
not to do. While some leaders don’t utilize their campus papers
enough, others view the press as their personal public relations tool.
“Student leaders should realize that our job as journalists is to report the
news, not to offer them free PR,” says WSU’s Morsse.
If you’re a SG leader, don’t try
and cut funding or use the newspaper’s budget as leverage if you disagree
with the coverage you’re getting. This tactic only manages to diminish the
students’ primary voice on campus. “We’ve had problems with SG in the past
because they’ve pressured us to give them their own column in the paper to
basically serve as their PR piece,” says Dennis Upkins, assistant editor of
The Echo at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. “When we
refuse, a few of them have threatened us because they think we’re under
them.”
Excessive contact can weaken your
relationship with the press just as quickly as no contact. “I hate when
leaders call every two minutes to see if we’re going to cover an event,”
says SWT’s Walsh. “Call and check to see if we got the message, and then
leave us alone. If it’s newsworthy, we’ll be there. You’ve done you’re job,
now let us do ours.” Editors know what constitutes a puff piece so don’t
bombard them with press releases. “You’re much more likely to get a story
run if you’re not spamming us all the time,” says Josh Linehan, managing
editor of The Minnesota Daily, at the University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities campus.
Also, try to remember that your
campus newspaper is comprised of students. “Sometimes cut a reporter
or an editor a little slack. We’re learning,” says TCNJ’s Pezzimenti. “If we
spell your name wrong, or it takes an extra second to jot down an
answer—give it [slack] to us—we’re doing our best.”
Contact:
Schuler at editor@dbk.umd.edu
Morsse at vmorsse@thesunflower.com
Rizzo at rrizzo@gwu.edu
Lytwyn at therecorder@hotmail.com
Fortune at
fortune2@tcnj.edu
Pezzimenti at kadade@aol.com
Walsh at jenwalsh100@hotmail.com
Stephens at teknews_turning@hotmail.com
Dupkins at dupkins@moccasun.utc.edu
Westphal at melwestphal@hotmail.com
Karlin at newsdpt@u.washington.edu
Joy
at erinzz@aol.com
Brockett at your_rolemodel80@hotmail.com
Eberhard at
editor@voice.bloomu.edu
Connolly at michael.t.connolly.28@nd.edu
Linehan at jlinehan@daily.umn.edu
| How to be media-savvy • Admit when you’re wrong. If your group does something stupid or illegal, be honest with your campus media about the situation. Any attempt to cover up a mishap or mistake will make the entire organization look bad. • Speak in "sound bites." Not everything you say will be printed, so be concise. Give reporters your central concept in one sentence rather than a paragraph. • Don’t get personal. Keep your quotes professional and about the issues. Don’t make personal or off-the-cuff remarks about your adversary. • Avoid misquotes. Ask a reporter to read back your quotes for accuracy’s sake. But don’t expect a journalist to let you approve the entire article before it’s published. • Be polite. Don’t be condescending. Remain courteous at all times, even if reporters aren’t. Be thoughtful of deadlines and time-constraints. Say "thank-you" and "please," and do your best to not inject sarcasm or a negative tone when you talk to the press. • Don’t start fights. The press always gets the last word, since they control what goes in the paper. While you might think some editors relish the chance to bash, or even worse, ignore you—remember that they are students just like you. And they’re NOT your enemies. This sidebar is adapted from a workshop presented by Student Leader Editor in Chief Butch Oxendine. Check out "Need a Speaker?" at www.studentleader.com/sl_9.htm. |
| Newspaper vs. SG How would you characterize your newspaper’s relationship with the Student Government? "Our
relationship is strained, mainly because SGA members don’t believe in
the newspaper’s right to freedom of speech—they don’t like to be
criticized for their mistakes." "The Signal has a very good relationship
overall with SG. Besides a weekly column on their meeting, we regularly
develop news stories on issues they deal with and many of the reporters
and editors develop healthy working relationships with student
representatives in SGA." "Non-existent to adversarial." |
Copyright © 2002 Oxendine Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved
Other stories from this issue:
Founding Father
The SG Salary Survey
Understanding Southworth
The Plastic Invasion
How To Get Headlines
What Is Leadership?
