It’s something that almost everyone in student journalism has heard before: “Well, it’s not like you guys are the New York Times or anything.” It’s true; we aren’t. That statement, however, does not also mean that student journalism is any less important or “real” than professional journalism.
The line between student journalism and professional outlets can be easy to draw. The Tiger, for example, is part of the department of communication and receives part of its income from the student activity fee. Despite this, however, we are entirely student-run, with all operating decisions made by our own staff. Many student newspapers across the country mirror professional papers even more closely. They’re entirely independent from their university, have boards of directors and rely solely on ad revenue and donations.
No matter the financial status or legal existence of these student newspapers, however, the fact remains that the work they do is just as important as national outlets. As student journalists, we are often the first ones to report incidents that happen on or near campus. We have a stronger understanding of what students are discussing and we can cover the events that we, as students, truly value.
With newspapers continuing to face budget cuts and even closure, this type of hyper-localized coverage is disappearing. Newspapers focusing on a specific college and its town are not common — with the exception of the work produced by students.
Two weeks ago, The Tiger broke the news that Clemson University is limiting its expenditures through the rest of this fiscal year. The Post and Courier Greenville, one of the closest professional outlets, could not report the same story until a week later when the University officially announced the news at the board of trustees meeting.
The work being done by Clemson students or organizations does not often make headlines nationally. Where it does make headlines, however, is in The Tiger. We are the only newspaper to focus solely on the events happening in Clemson. At The Tiger, our job is to serve the Clemson community and contribute to its discourse.
We are not the New York Times, and we probably never will be — for good reason. In our current state, we fill the void left by the decline in “real” journalism and can dedicate ourselves to covering the best of what happens in Tigertown, just like The New York Times covers what happens in New York City.
Student journalism is journalism, and the work we are doing receives notice. Throughout my time as editor-in-chief, I have received many emails from students, faculty and Clemson supporters thanking me for our coverage of the area and important issues that impact them. People take note of what student journalists do, and you should too.
The next time you want to know what’s really happening in Clemson, pick up a copy of The Tiger at one of our 81 distribution locations or head to our website for the newest information. We have been here for 118 years, and our work will not stop anytime soon.
Caroline Block is a senior English major from Mobile, Alabama. Caroline can be reached at [email protected].
