Harmony:
As we step into this year, the torch is sad to announce the end of our weekly print editions. Since our start in 1931, our student staff has worked together to create the printed publication. The decision to do away with print was a tough decision; however, it was one that we have seen coming, especially in the past five years.
This year the Torch will be transitioning to a fully online publication with a new website and app available for download. This transition comes from a multitude of reasons; our Torch office is overflowing with stacks of printed newspapers with nowhere to go but into the recycling. When it comes to the printing of the Torch, we don’t see any revenue; the reality is it’s just not feasible anymore.
Previous Torch Advisor, Steve Fox, shared his reaction upon hearing the news.
“I was a Central Michigan University graduate from their journalism program. I’ve worked in newspapers for 15 years, and now have taught and advised for 20. A lot of my life has been invested in all of this, so I do have an emotional reaction. I don’t like when these things happen, but I know it does,” Fox said. “I am hopeful that the Torch legacy overall continues.”
When Fox was first given the news that the Torch will be moving fully online, he reached out to previous Torch alumni who shared a similar reaction.
“Keith Salowitch, previous two-year editor-in-chief, mentioned that with the world of billion-dollar conglomerates, local and independent sources of news are just as important as ever. He also [shared with me] that looking back, as a new reporter, getting his first bylines, and then becoming Editor-in-Chief gave him a lot of pride.”
The history and print editions of the Torch are something we care deeply about. While we use this next year to start this transition into our new website and fully online content, we hope to continue to source out good news for the Ferris Community.
Nolan:
As someone who is deeply in love with physical media, doing away with print was something I was not in favor of. While over time I came to love the idea, instead of having a strict deadline of Monday, we can now get articles out in a timely manner in line with actual events.
As a sports person, this makes it better for us, as we can get previews out for games the day before games and have post-game recaps out right after the games finish.
Ferris State Torch faculty advisor and associate professor of journalism, Dr. Garrett Stack, spoke about why he believes moving fully online was in the best interest for the Torch.
“We are in a spot where news is more important now than ever, but we’re trying to come to grips with the best way to deliver it, and we are taking a necessary step in making our product more viable,” Stack said. “We chose to go online because, one, we were not reaching our audience as best we could with the physical paper. The second reason being it seemed like an extravagant waste of paper of resources to keep printing something that people just weren’t picking up anymore.”
While sad, it is necessary to help bring the Torch into modernity. We will have a completely revamped social media presence to keep up with other newspapers.
The future of the Ferris State Torch looks incredibly bright, and I am beyond excited to be a part of the team that is tasked with this. Dealing with something like this for a newspaper that has been printing for 94 years is hard, but we will make it possible and make it the best we can.