In September 2009, editor-in-chief Claire Gould ’10 wrote an editorial about the print vs. online newspaper debate after the removal of free copies of the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and USA Today from campus. Gould’s main arguments for print were the experience of holding an actual newspaper in your hands and the clarity of knowing which articles the editors deemed most important by layout characteristics that cannot translate to the web, such as which articles were placed above the fold on the front page of the paper.
In response to Gould’s editorial, opinions editor Alfred DeGemmis ’10 stressed the ways in which web editions of the paper are similar to print, arguing that an equivalent solution should be provided if print copies of the paper are unavailable. “The College Voice’s website is living proof that articles can be displayed in a way that gives priority to whatever the editorial staff deems most worthy,” said DeGemmis.
Major newspapers around the world are still grappling with the print vs. online debate. Here at The College Voice, we are working on making both our print and online editions of the paper strong mechanisms for sparking debate and conversation around campus and beyond.
The most significant benefit to the website is its capacity for interactivity among editors, writers, students, faculty, staff, parents, alums and readers outside of the campus community who do not have access to the physical paper. Beyond discussions with friends in the library or over a meal in Harris, web comments prompt debates among people with whom you may not normally converse. Popular online articles like the most recent “Where is our Camel Pride?” are incredible jumping-off points for wider campus discussion and potential change to campus culture. The new Voice web layout promotes this kind of productive conversation through the clarity of its design and the emphasis it places on reader commentary.
Photo from Web
At the end of her term as editor-in-chief of The College Voice last year, Lilah Raptopoulos ’11 expressed an interest in developing the multimedia section for the paper’s website. She believed that expanding our web presence would be appropriate in the evermore web-focused realm of journalism. This year’s creation of the multimedia section is the most recent addition to both the editorial staff and the Voice website. Consisting of photo slideshows and video content, the section is one of the web-only sections of the paper, along with fiction and blogs.
I became the multimedia editor of The College Voice because I believe that the unique capacity of new media to prompt a high degree of interactivity between content creators and viewers is extremely beneficial to the objectives of a student newspaper. The ever-increasing popularity of YouTube, particularly the channels that encourage the participation of their viewers, is a testament to the significance of public video content to our media-rich culture.
What I aim to accomplish through the multimedia section, particularly through its video content, is a continued emphasis on hearing the voices of the student body and the wider campus community. Our first video, “On the Street: The College Voice,” is a series of brief interviews with students about their views on the paper and its website, including their ideas for improvement. I think this concept introduces the objectives that I want the section to promote through each video we produce in the future: to listen to what students have to say and to use their comments to change the campus community. For example, we are now in the process of completing a video about school spirit to further the current debate on campus about whether or not our campus pride is lacking, specifically in our support of athletics.
In editor-in-chief Jazmine Hughes’ recent editorial “On Shared Responsibility,” she prompted students to come into the Voice office and “criticize, compliment, or coerce” when feeling particularly opinionated. I ask you to take this a step further by bringing your opinions online. Read an article or watch a video, then post a comment and start a conversation. And if you see a camera around campus, stop by and share your thoughts.
– Meaghan Kelley
Multimedia Editor
