The importance of college newspapers

Across the nation, many believe the popularity of physical newspapers to be decreasing and use this as a reason to cut funds to local and students newspapers alike.

The Wichita State University student newspaper, The Sunflower, is currently facing massive budget cuts, nearly a 50% decrease in funding which threatens the award-winning and widely-read publication featuring their student voices.

Student newspapers are a vital part of campus life and should always work to provide insight to the day-to-day student activities while also reporting on the extraordinary events across the college as well.

The Sunflower deserves to have the funding necessary to continue to keep their campus well-connected through the use of the hopefully never-fading physical newspaper.

An online presence, while beneficial for any newspaper organization, fails to connect with its audience the way that a good old fashioned, hard copy news does.

Printed papers, which continue to exist through adequate funding, immerse the readers away from the constant storm of news that bombards the rest of their social media feed.

The readers can pick up a copy from any of the racks across campus or from a staff member handing them out in the student union and connect with the stories in a way that isn’t possible online.

For over two centuries physical newspapers have dominated the new sphere and today, even if many get most of their news online, it is important for journalists to continue to push for print media.

In addition to benefiting readers, at a collegiate level, knowing the basics of designing and laying-out a physical newspaper is essential to pursuing a job in journalism. Student newspapers exist for more than just campus pleasure, they are a vital learning experience for the students working behind the pages.

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