While students and faculty alike sometimes herald the probing and prodding
their campus media does, college journalists don't get a lot of slack. For their hours of work each week on campus publications, praise is sometimes matched with criticism. They're saddled with labels their mainstream media counterparts get: bloodthirsty, unsympathetic, unprofessional — and the list goes on.
But what many campus paper readers don't realize is that college
journalists devote time to the development of their skills. Those
administration-slamming editorials and investigations into food services
don't write themselves: extensive training goes into honing the skills
that make a good campus paper.
This year, nearly 2,500 student journalists from across the country came to Kansas City, Missouri, to compete,
compare notes and learn about new trends.
The one-hour mini-classes focus on
a particular division of college media (such as yearbook, magazine,
newspaper, photojournalism and online media) and are presented by
industry professionals and media advisers.
Besides those presenters, a number of students also led sessions at the
five-day conference. In one well-attended session, two former paper editors revealed the "Seven Habits of Highly Ineffective Editors" during a
discussion of peer management. Others focused on libel law, diversity in
the newsroom, teamwork, and ethics.
Besides the daily sessions, which ran from 8 a.m. through mid-afternoon
Nov. 4-8, a trade show of sorts gave companies a chance to show their
wares and sell college media-based services. Three keynote addresses
were also offered, including one by Lynn Staley, Newsweek's design
director.
One of the most anticipated aspects were the Best of Show awards. Given in 12 categories, publications submit one copy or issue to
be judged on-site. The "Ball State Daily News" walked away again with the much-coveted award for 4-year daily broadsheet newspapers.
Other
winners, included the University of North Carolina — Charlotte
"Sanskrit," which was named best literary/arts magazine, and Missouri Southern
St. College's "The Chart" as best 4-year
college, non-daily broadsheet newspaper.
