Two years and eight months have passed since I joined The Yeungnam Observer. I applied because I wanted to be good at English and writing. After joining, I wrote articles for a year and a half as a reporter. Then, I became a head editor, and I changed my mind.
As a journalist, I thought I only needed to write articles well. But that was not all. The number of people reading printed newspapers is gradually decreasing, and the university newspaper seems to disappear. How can I make it possible for university students in their 20s to access articles written in English? What is the reason for the existence of a university newspaper? I pondered these questions for a long time and discussed them with the reporters. We finally decided to create a newspaper that drew student attention. Now, we write light school news in a fun way. We used social media and created our character. We published weekly school card news and uploaded a four-panel cartoon about school life. Also, we created a cat character called ‘Obnyang’ for a friendly image. An online subscription service has also been launched so students can read the school newspaper anytime, anywhere.
Despite these efforts, they initially seemed to be fruitless. However, as time passed, students became interested in The Observer. International students also subscribed to our newspaper. Some students were interested in the Obnyang character because it was cute. Of course, it was also sad that the number of subscribers did not increase for a few months.
However, all these processes were our passion and challenge for students’ right to know. So, it was not hard, and I didn’t do it alone; we did it together. We were able to do this because there were reporters who thought, cried, and laughed together. While writing articles at The Observer, I did not just learn writing or English. I have learned much, such as how to collaborate with colleagues and work hard to achieve what I want. I did my best every moment.
There is still no clear answer to why the university newspaper exists. However, the institution that is making the most effort for students’ right to know is the university newspaper. In addition, university newspaper reporters can inform the school news most accurately and quickly. I hope you know that university newspaper reporters are working like this, and I hope you read it a lot.
저작권자 © 영남대학교 언론출판문화원 무단전재 및 재배포 금지
