Cut costs to support media

Last week the UCLA Communications Board, which, according to its Web site, “is responsible for oversight of the media and the Student Media department, the campus unit that houses and supports them” met for its monthly meeting.

One of the issues addressed at the meeting was the idea of a new media support policy to reflect the current reality of media today.

Specifically, this new media support policy would bring in the cooperation of a third party to help in the overall publication of new magazines on campus. Also, the board has discussed allowing student-run magazines to be published online only.

While no proposals have been made yet, what the board did discuss sounds like an idea that the board should propose and adopt to help students wishing to start a new publication, benefitting all students in the UCLA community.

The reality is that in today’s world, the Internet is greatly changing how media operates. Magazines all around the country are trying to continue publishing in print ““ which costs much more than publishing online ““ despite a decline in funding from advertising sources.

The situation is no different here at UCLA where advertising sales are down considerably.

Indeed, according to an article published in the Daily Bruin last week, “Communications Board discusses new media policy” (Wed., Nov. 7), Daily Bruin advertising has been down 12 percent as of late.

In regard to getting a third party involved in the publishing process, here is how it would work: For instance, if a group of students wished to start a new magazine that reports what is going on in the engineering school, they could get the engineering department involved.

Instead of the Communications Board housing the magazine, which requires space that costs money, the magazine could be housed at the engineering school.

Furthermore, editorial matters could be left up to the students in charge of the magazine so that Student Media would only have to provide for the production of the publication and advertising.

Indeed, by allowing students to publish online, no one would have to spend money on printing.

Also, an Internet publication could be advertised online which would allow an increase in readership without having to spend money on print advertisement.

With a policy such as this, the Communications Board would be able to assist more student groups in starting their own publications and enable them to worry less about whether or not the funding was in place to house these new publications and pay for their editorial staffs.

“We are looking at implementing guidelines in which the financial burden does not rest totally on the Communications Board,” said Jamal Madni, chairman of the Communications Board.

Finally, policies such as the one being discussed would benefit the students and faculty of UCLA overall in that it would facilitate the spread of more information around campus.

Currently, the seven magazines on campus focus around minority groups.

However, in recent years, there has been a growth in demand for publications about other topics.

“There is a huge demand for other types of magazines,” said Communications Board member Katya Balan, fourth-year global studies student.

“We should be supportive of what students want to publish within reason.”

For instance, Balan said that the board has been approached by students wishing to begin publishing magazines centering around fashion or comedy.

Indeed, if there were a media support policy like the one discussed in this column, it would be easier financially for this magazine to exist in the first place.

This is a changing world, and nowhere is this sentiment truer than in the case of publishing new media. To respond to these changes, the board should pursue policies that would both help students start their own publications and also reflect the nature of publishing today.

E-mail Margolis at mmargolis@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.

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