EDITORIAL: Central Michigan University needs student journalists
Students are fighting the COVID-19 global pandemic and racial inequality as a divisive presidential election rapidly approaches. In a time when social media misinformation erodes confidence in the news media, we believe delivering accurate, truthful journalism is of utmost importance to the public.
This week is National Newspaper Week – a time to recognize the valuable public service news outlets provide to their communities.
For 100 years, Central Michigan Life has been a watchdog and source of information for CMU and Mount Pleasant. In a year where everything is socially distanced and moving at a slowed pace, the daily news coverage provided by CM Life has not slowed down. When campus shutdown in March, CM Life’s team of reporters, photographers and ad reps did not – in fact, we have never been busier.
As businesses doors closed their doors and the lights on campus went dark, CM Life continued to provide the community with vital information. We shared heartbreaking and uplifting stories. We informed our readers where tests were available and alerted people to changes happening at CMU.
Without dedicated, hardworking student journalists at CM Life, many, many stories on campus would go unnoticed. CMU needs student journalists to deliver critical reporting and thoughtful storytelling. The skills learned at CM Life are necessary to prepare students for successful media careers.
CM Life is, and will always be, an advocate for transparency from university administrators, police departments and all branches of government. We will also always inform people about upcoming events and provide stories that find their way onto scrapbooks and onto the faculty bulletin boards.
Student journalists are the reason CMU students, faculty and staff have the information they need to make decisions about their lives and leaders.
Trust and appreciate the information and resources CM Life provides to you, our readers. Without your continued support, CMU risks losing an inside look into their community, access to information and accountability from its leaders.
As the voice of the student body, a student-run news company needs more than just journalism and photojournalism majors. CM Life needs broadcasters, advertising students and podcasters who are curious, willing to work hard and have something to say to people on campus.
We also need participation from our readership. Send us your guest columns, letters to the editor and news tips to editor@cm-life.com or news@cm-life.com.
We want to hear from you.
