Blue Pencil Dinner 2008
Posted at 9:00 pm on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008
The 2008 Blue Pencil Dinner was a rousing success, with a record number on hand to witness the http://www.washingtonpost.com’s executive editor, Len Downie, speak about accountability journalism in the Internet age. Downie spoke at length about industry trends and his own philosophy, then took questions—questions which, our alumni can be proud, were skeptical, hard-hitting. One recent alum called into question Downie’s optimistic speech given the Post’s then-imminent job cuts.
It made for a nice dinner, a thought-provoking speech, a fun reunion, and the ideal moment for Spectator to announce the launch of the Work-Study Initiative. The Initiative will require hard work, persistence, and help from charitable donors to reach the financial level necessary for Spectator to begin the aid program. We’ve had great success at the outset, about a quarter-way there. I have great faith in the future of this program, as it is a great cause that will benefit the newspaper and fulfill the organization’s dual mission of putting out compelling journalism and nurturing young students interested in the profession. I also believe Spectator is moving in the right direction, financially and editorially.
In many ways, Spectator has been rejuvenated by the creation of an independent Web site, one that is aesthetically pleasing, very manageable, and lays the groundwork for future innovation and expansion. The site has already created a forum for Spectator to produce classy multimedia features that have been lauded as the gold standard of the Ivy League college news outlets. Such features, like this one or this one, are being generated at a rate of about one per two days and are helping to draw more readers and advertisers to our site. The site also benefits from a growing collection of blogs, with the two permanent blogs, a seasonal Sports blog, and the popular, occasional, issue-based news blogs.
The Web site is the key to Spectator’s future, but only with the caveat that we stay true to our dual mission of putting out a daily print paper and nurturing young students interested in journalism. I am most pleased, reflecting now nearly a semester into my time as editor, that we have succeeded in incorporating the online paradigm into our humble and ambitious organization—this while still remaining a fun place to work when—um—not in class or studying. While more and more staffers are finding in blogs a new place to express themselves, the paper itself has grown and experimented across all sections, polished its broadsheet design, put out strong reporting and writing, and broken a few big stories on the way. Our staffers have worked very hard. One small (though, all things considered, somewhat historic) reward we were able to provide them was touching up the office. After over twenty years of noted service, the newsroom couch was replaced. Oh yes! The office also now accommodates the still-nascent but quickly growing Online staff, and a few key technological investments will speed up our work flow system and ease—slightly—our staffers’ levels of stress and exuberant sleep deprivation.
But these are such small tokens. There is much more to be done with the organization, and more to be done for our staffers—here again I am thinking of the Work-Study Initiative. Only through the help of alumni can we hope to implement this ambitious plan. Please see our Alumni page if you are interested in making a donation, or feel free to e-mail me with questions or ideas in furthering this great project. I am very proud of the Spectator staff right now, but that pales in comparison to the great hope and sense of honor I feel when I think of the future bright Speccies who will take up an editorship, a blog, or simply a pad and pencil, and will begin writing their own stories.
Tom Faure
Editor in Chief, Columbia Daily Spectator
Also! Mark your calendars!
****
On April 25th, we are holding an informal gathering in the Spec office to commemorate the 40 year anniversary of 1968. Come to the Spec office to hear alumni who reported the events of ‘68 speak about their experiences, to mingle with your peers and alumni, and to enjoy free food! To recap:
WHO: YOU and 1968 alumni (bring your friends, too!)
WHAT: 1968 commemoration, featuring alumni speakers: Jerry Avorn, Rob Stulberg, and Michael Stern
WHEN: April 25th, 2008, 6-8pm
WHERE: Spec office
Also serving hors d’oeuvres!
****