Introducing the Student Press Report, a national news desk covering student media and college journalists
Supported by a consortium of organizations that help student journalists, SPR will highlight the threats, challenges and successes of campus press organizations.
LOS ANGELES — Today marks the launch of the Student Press Report, a new national effort to report on the challenges facing campus news outlets and the successes of college journalists.
This brand-new initiative will showcase the trials and tribulations facing collegiate news organizations and their staffs, as well as highlight the great work student journalists are doing on campuses across America.
“Student media plays an integral role in our media ecosystem. It's the pipeline for the future of journalism,” said Gary Green, executive director of the Student Press Law Center, one of the initiative's major funders. “People need to have a better understanding of the challenges of student media, and the more we get that news and information out to a broader audience, the more support we can cultivate for the great work of the student journalists, their advisers and their faculty.”
The Student Press Report’s other major funder is Flytedesk, the largest campus advertising network in the United States.
“Student journalists face many of the same challenges as professional journalists, but often with a lot less support,” Piper Jackson-Sevy, co-founder of Flytedesk. “Empowering student media is a core part of Flytedesk’s mission.”
After SPLC and Flytedesk committed the startup funds, many other major college media support organizations in the country offered their help as well.
“At a time when collegiate journalism is facing censorship and financial challenges at an unprecedented level, it is telling that so many of America’s student media organizations lined up to fund this initiative,” said Barbara Allen, editor of the Student Press Report.
In addition to funding from the SPLC and Flytedesk, donations came in from the Associated Collegiate Press, the Association of University Student Media Managers, the College Media Business and Advertising Managers and CollegeJournalism.org.
The organizations launch the new project this week as the nation’s student press community celebrates the ninth annual Student Press Freedom Day, a national moment to stand up for press freedom and recognize the essential role student journalists play in their communities.
The Student Press Report will feature at least one piece each week, from third-person issues reporting to first-person columns from student journalists and thought leadership professionals.
Its first story, “Cash-starved and censored, America’s student press is in crisis,” launched today.
All content will be free and available for republication with credit. For information on how to become a publishing partner, please read our FAQs.
The Student Press Report encourages pitches from student journalists and professionals. You can read more about our pitch guidelines here.
