2008 Woodie Awards
Free news disappears, for now
Amara Grautski
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: News
In the span of a few months, students at Northeastern have seen their free on-campus newspaper options go from the Boston Globe to USA Today to nonexistent.
In January, the New York Times Company, which owns the Boston Globe, decided to stop funding its program that provided newspapers to Northeastern free of charge. Knowing an on-campus newspaper drought was imminent, USA Today reached out to the Student Government Association (SGA) to maintain an interest in reading newspapers on college campuses, said Ashley Benjamin, SGA vice president for administration and public relations.
"They want more college kids reading the newspaper," Benjamin said. "The good thing about USA Today is they came in to the student government … [and said] what we can do is basically provide the school, do a trial run for four weeks, with USA Today papers every morning."
The free trial, which began Jan. 21, placed USA Today newspapers at 12 locations around campus. To gauge the newspaper's popularity, surveys were given to students and the paper's circulation was tracked, Benjamin said.
"Just over 900 papers a day on average were picked up," Benjamin said.
Having a national newspaper on campus proved to be popular, Benjamin said. However, the four-week free trial has run out. Without funding to pay for the continuation of USA Today, Northeastern newspaper racks will remain empty.
Now SGA must determine if students would be willing to pay to have newspapers available on campus and, if so, which paper they would want.
"It's that awkward middle stage because we don't know how and when we're going to fund it or what we're going to fund," Benjamin said.
One option is to add a few dollars to next year's Student Activities Fee. However, with tuition costs increasing, adding additional fees may be controversial, she said.
Heather Spoonhower, a junior pharmacy major, said she wouldn't mind an additional fee.
"Starbucks coffee is $4 and for $3 you'd be able to get the newspaper all semester," she said.
In January, the New York Times Company, which owns the Boston Globe, decided to stop funding its program that provided newspapers to Northeastern free of charge. Knowing an on-campus newspaper drought was imminent, USA Today reached out to the Student Government Association (SGA) to maintain an interest in reading newspapers on college campuses, said Ashley Benjamin, SGA vice president for administration and public relations.
"They want more college kids reading the newspaper," Benjamin said. "The good thing about USA Today is they came in to the student government … [and said] what we can do is basically provide the school, do a trial run for four weeks, with USA Today papers every morning."
The free trial, which began Jan. 21, placed USA Today newspapers at 12 locations around campus. To gauge the newspaper's popularity, surveys were given to students and the paper's circulation was tracked, Benjamin said.
"Just over 900 papers a day on average were picked up," Benjamin said.
Having a national newspaper on campus proved to be popular, Benjamin said. However, the four-week free trial has run out. Without funding to pay for the continuation of USA Today, Northeastern newspaper racks will remain empty.
Now SGA must determine if students would be willing to pay to have newspapers available on campus and, if so, which paper they would want.
"It's that awkward middle stage because we don't know how and when we're going to fund it or what we're going to fund," Benjamin said.
One option is to add a few dollars to next year's Student Activities Fee. However, with tuition costs increasing, adding additional fees may be controversial, she said.
Heather Spoonhower, a junior pharmacy major, said she wouldn't mind an additional fee.
"Starbucks coffee is $4 and for $3 you'd be able to get the newspaper all semester," she said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Abby Zorbaugh
posted 3/17/08 @ 10:04 AM EST
Students already have access to free news. Everything these papers print is on the internet, which all students already have access to through the wireless networks on campus and the many computers in the computer lab. (Continued…)
mike
posted 3/18/08 @ 3:54 PM EST
let aoun buy us some papers.
i am broke.
Lucas
posted 3/19/08 @ 8:43 PM EST
HEY! I HAVE A GREAT IDEA!! let's WASTE more of the students money on something that not all the students will use! i would never take a newspaper if it were on campus under any circumstances, i get my news from other sources, how about we get the metro and boston now out for the cheap people and then set up the classic vending machines for the globe and usa today, a respectable 75 and 50 cents, if people want to get newspapers then they should pay for them, i am not in favor of paying for your newspapers
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