| dc.description.abstract |
The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore factors that inform and influence the cessation of print publication for collegiate student newspapers in Kansas. An analysis of membership in Kansas Collegiate Media, which is the primary organization for the state’s student newspapers, showed that 13 of the 29 schools on the 2004-05 membership list were no longer members in 2017-18. Based on these statistics, this study used a phenomenological approach and purposive sampling to collect interview responses from six veteran faculty advisers who were members of Kansas Collegiate Media. These advisers described changes in their newspaper programs, including reducing or eliminating print production and emphasizing online publication. Four themes emerged from the research: 1) print newspapers have higher levels of credibility compared to online-only publishing; 2) Online-only publishing can create difficulties for long-term historical archiving; 3) Developing and maintaining audience awareness of online content requires extensive promotion, often through social media, but can increase students’ skills in covering breaking news; 4) Administrative concerns about student journalism often focus on public relations and are usually unrelated to national political disputes and allegations of fake news. The findings from this research study can help operational leaders assess the sustainability of printed student newspapers on their campuses. |
en_US |