The point of my post was mostly to make a stand that I shouldn’t be made to feel ashamed to say I work for a newspaper. That’s almost how it feels when you read some comments and blog posts online about the industry. But there are good and innovative things happening in newspaper newsrooms like mine. I guess the unintentional take-away is that my post gives a glimpse of what I and my colleagues are doing here every day. I hope it does help others to realize it can and needs to be done.

@Jackie, the “gist” of it was confirmed via the media relations department of the other university based on a memo from that university’s president. I trusted that source as about as confirmed as it could be, especially that quickly. I used “gist” because my update was literally:

So & So has accepted the job of provost at X University, according to a memo from university president released… He begins Aug. 15.
He is currently the blah blah at Y University.
For more on this story, check back with newspaper.com

That’s the gist of the story. I was comfortable with my source on it or I wouldn’t have posted it. The rest of the story came from talking to the appointee himself, his current colleagues, the provost here, etc. That was the stuff I was chasing after I broke the news.

Although, personally, I would be more cautious about posting the “gist” of something. College newspapers deal with enough crap about their credibility.

Bryan: MSCNE ‘05 is one of the best experiences I had as a young journalist. Have fun with Cecil!

Jackie Alexander
U of South Carolina