You may have noticed a lack of physical copies of the Northern Review floating around campus this semester. In the fall of this year, the Northern Review went completely digital, marking a massive step in the paper’s development. The decision to move online was motivated in part by cost, but the digital medium is also more flexible, intuitive and easier to access for many ONU students.
By moving the paper online, the editorial staff have been able to focus more time and effort on information gathering and story writing, and less time worrying about formatting. This resulted in not only an increase in stories specifically about ONU and the Ada community, but also an increase in the amount of people who write and submit stories.
Several of the journalism courses within the Communications and Media Studies department encourage students to contribute to the Northern Review, and the digital format has streamlined the submission and editing process. This makes it easier for new or inexperienced writers to have their voices heard and their stories read.
Digital media is becoming an increasingly popular medium in the world of journalism. Most major newspapers across the country have a dedicated online version of their paper, and the American Press Institute reports that 69% of Americans use their laptop or computer to access the news online. By moving to a digital format, the Northern Review publishes stories are easier to access, easier to read and easier to share.
As with any major transition, there have been hiccups. Through the support of Dr. Shane Tilton, our faculty advisor, a dedicated and reliable editorial staff and a growing and diverse team of writers, the Northern Review has been able to successfully transition from a print format into the exciting new realm of digital media.
Please contact either me, Joey Ferraro, at a-ferrero@onu.edu or my co-editor-in-chief, Samantha Ventrella, at s-ventrella@onu.edu with any comments, concerns or ideas. After all, the Northern Review is your newspaper.