College newspapers across the nation provide in-depth stories behind the students that make a university possible.
While mainstream national publications are filled with broad national news, college newspapers focus more on local and on-campus news. The growth of the Internet and yellow journalism over the past decade has taken its toll on newspapers that used to rely heavily on daily subscribers.
It is now easier to look up information on Google or another search engine to find exactly what you are looking for. Fewer and fewer people actually pick up and read a newspaper. When the information is so readily available on online sources, why spend the time, or money, to read a newspaper?
As seemingly everything has moved online, so too have many newspapers. College students have an advantage over older generations, as we have grown up using computers. Consequently, many colleges and universities have been ahead of the curve in terms of developing user-friendly websites that offer videos, blogs, photo galleries and breaking news stories.
Last year, the Ferris State Torch took a step in an uncharted direction and re-developed its website using WordPress.
The Torch website, fsutorch.com, was recognized as a finalist for the College Media Association Apple Award for best website. The 2011 Apple Awards were announced last week at the annual Spring College Media Convention in New York. The Torch website, fsutorch.com, finished second out of 132 entries.
Ithaca College, located in Ithaca, NY, won the award with its website theithacan.org. The Flagler College Gargoyle in St. Augustine, Fla. took third place with its website gargoyle.flagler.edu.
The Torch website is far from perfect, however, and we are always looking for better ways to serve the students of Ferris State University. If you have any ideas of ways to improve the website, please contact us at torch@nullferris.edu or post your comment on the web version
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