THEUWMPOST est. 1956
October, 8, 2012
The Student-Run Independent Newspaper
Issue 6, Volume 57
WE NEED YOUR HELP The newspaper industry is dying.
Across the country news outlets are shutting down or limiting publication, and everyone is hurrying to find the next big thing. For better or worse, we’ve entered that race.
We are almost broke. Advertising revenue has been slowly declining over the last three years, and we’ve reached a point where it would be irresponsible to continue on the same track.
Our financial situation is dire.
Projections for the rest of the semester show little hope of profit. We are currently scaling back our print run and our staff has taken a 50 percent pay cut to buy us time. Even with these measures in place, we will be lucky if we can keep printing through November. We would cut printing entirely, but we can’t afford to. Our advertising team is working at full steam to bring in new businesses and we can’t afford to squander any potential source of revenue. We will print as long as we can support it and no longer.
Online ad revenue is virtually nonexistent. Larger newspapers are restricting online content
to paid subscribers, but this ignores the root of problem, and is antithetical to one of the core values of news: That it be readily available and easily dispersed. We think there’s a better way. Already the discussions have begun in the office about what comes next. We are narrowing our sights and trimming back; the next few months will be trying. There is no way for us to continue providing the breadth and depth of coverage we had been, and honestly, that is a damn shame. It is unfortunate for us as journalists and it is unfortunate for all of us in the UWM community.
We challenge you to look back at our work from this last month and decide for yourself whether you are better off with or without us. We tell your stories.
Never before in our 56 year history have we pursued a student-fee subsidized existence. In fact, at times we have been stubbornly leveled against it. We were spiting our nose to save our face. Financial independence is mean-
student per semester would fund us completely with some to spare. The earliest this funding could be available is next fall, and we are working hard to ensure that our ability to produce content and our editorial policies are protected from fickle student politics. This is your money; make us work for it. We believe we will be faithful stewards, but we also know that far too often these decisions are made without any real student input.
So we are asking for your feedback.
Tell us what works and what doesn’t, remind us of the stories we missed and let us know if you enjoyed something. We aren’t asking you to buy into an antiquated model. We are committed to redefinition and innovation. Our staff has been challenged to think of the
Circumstance has forced us out of our old mindset and now it’s anything goes. We want your next few months as an experiment.
ideas. We are certain that the future of news media won’t be invented by marketing whizzes or the struggling news monoliths. It will be built and perfected right here, by students like us.
We believe that news outlets are essential members of a community and not outside observers. The future of news media lies in open doors and engaging News is no longer one-way.
dialogue, in and out of the newsroom. The most important part of this is that it is no longer journalists who will dictate the form of news media. Rather, all news becomes collaborative as together we work to chronicle and interpret our shared community. The Post is entering a critical transition, and we are both preceded and will be followed by major newspapers everywhere. We are abandoning an old model and setting sail without a map for someplace better. Steve Buttry, an online media commentator, perhaps put the situation best in his essay, “Students already consume news media digital-first; student media should follow suit.”
Buttry says, “The choice for student media is simple: Slide ingless when it cripples our ability to serve the community. into irrelevancy even faster than professional media that A subsidized paper with the reach to accurately cover complex issues is far fail to adapt, or race into the digital future and help show better than a poor, limited one. In fact, it is what this campus deserves. them the way.” We are working with the Student Association to set up a model where a student fee covers some or all of our operations. As we function now, $3 per
We agree wholeheartedly, and with or without your help, the race is on.
Zach Erdmann, Editor-in-Chief I Steve Garrison, Managing Editor I Tyler Rembert, Business Manager I Jonny Grigg, Advertising Director I Caitlin PenzeyMoog, News Editor Justin Jabs, Assistant News Editor I Stephanie Schmidt, Assistant News Editor I Steve Franz, Co-Fringe Editor I Kevin Kaber, Co-Fringe Editor Tony Atkins, Sports Editor I Audrey Posten, Editorial Editor I Zak Wosewick, Photography Editor I Lucas Hubansk, Distribution Manager Cathylynne Ahlgren, Production Editor I Marquayla Ellison, Page Designer I Inna Zilberman, Auxiliary Designer I Brad Poling, Copy Chief Staci Scheibel, Copy Editor I Taylor Thomas, Copy Editor I Andrew Megow, Comics Editor Tim Posl, Account Executive I Shannon Ford, Account Executive
Contact your SA representative. Provide feedback. Get involved. Phone: (414)229-4578 Fax: (414)229-4579
Mailing Address Union Box 88 UWM P.O. Box 413 Milwaukee, WI 53201
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