Student journalists looking for evidence that obtaining gainful employment in the newspaper business is still possible will probably not find it at a copy editing convention.
I was a copy editor for two years before I became managing editor, and in April, I visited Minneapolis for the American Copy Editors Society’s national conference.
It was only a few months after the Tribune Company declared bankruptcy, and while it was unusual to meet a conference guest who didn’t mention how desolate the job landscape looked for journalists, I felt inspired and excited to return to the Daily Bruin newsroom when I boarded the plane back to California.
I met ““ and had expected to meet ““ plenty of incorrigibly cynical (and often unemployed) people at the conference.
But I met just as many who resolutely believed that newspapers and storytelling had the capacity to generate constructive dialogue within and between communities.
These people embraced the changes sweeping the newspaper industry, asserting that the newspaper no longer needed to be a pulpit, but was instead becoming a forum accessible to everyone, both to read and to take part in.
The conference was the first time I had ventured outside the admittedly insulated environment of the Daily Bruin.
A college student newspaper is not representative of the industry as a whole, and employment opportunities in professional journalism are still scarce.
But for UCLA, the Daily Bruin is introducing some changes this year that show that newspapers, while changing, can become an integral venue for dialogue within the campus and community. Readers are no longer inert consumers of what news sources give them; they can take an active role in how information is presented.
The interactive capabilities of our new Web site, which is slated to launch on Monday, will facilitate an unprecedented level of dialogue between The Bruin and the rest of UCLA.
News should be a conversation, not a lecture, and we’re determined to remain in step with a readership that is constantly growing and shifting.
Also, editor in chief Alene Tchekmedyian’s conception and implementation of an online-oriented publishing cycle for The Bruin will reinforce the paper’s status as the go-to source of news for the UCLA community.
Publishing stories online throughout the day will ensure that news is delivered promptly and consistently and will strengthen the paper’s Web presence. However, instant publication also makes it more important than ever that The Bruin prioritizes publishing factually accurate and fair information.
While print publications are confined to a finite circulation, news published online reaches a potentially limitless audience. Having the ability to reach an exponentially greater number of readers and solicit their feedback through comments will help The Bruin become a stronger, more diversified publication.
Maintaining this line of communication is integral to making the newspaper a reliable source of information.
The future of the newspaper business is uncertain, but The Bruin’s staff remains committed to serving you ““ the UCLA readership.
Shine is the 2009-2010 managing editor. E-mail her at mshine@media.ucla.edu.