After much consideration, The Etownian has decided to stop both print and web articles, moving all reporting strictly to social media platforms. 

Since 1934, The Etownian has been a central source of information on campus, reporting on everything from news to campus life. This shift away from the traditional print and web format  will mark a significant shift in how students can engage with news on campus. 

The switch to social media will allow staff to cover a wider range of events and eliminates the restrictions of print space. Without page limits or print schedule, staff will have more freedom to produce content and respond as events occur. 

“We were limited in story number and size with print issues. Timeliness was also a problem since stories between issues could be missed, or stories would update or change between writing a run,” first-year student and assistant news editor, Aaron Girvan said. 

The staff believes that this change will allow for more engagement. Social media allows for a quicker spread of information, as well as faster reading or watching and easier sharing. Instead of seeking out the news, students are more likely to encounter it while scrolling through different social media platforms.

“This is the unfortunate culmination and the long, slow death of print media, but it also represents a cost-saving measure,” Girvan said. 

Many students recognize The Etownian as stacks of paper located outside the Marketplace and scattered across campus, ready to be picked up and read as students go through their days. Letting go of the physical form is the end of a long-running standard, but staff members say this decision reflects the changes in how students and the surrounding community consume information now. 

So, instead of waiting for the next issue to be printed or uploaded on The Etownian’s website, readers now will be able to access updates in real time on social media pages. News, features, sports, and campus life pieces can now all be posted in a matter of minutes. These may be presented in new forms such as an Instagram carousel post, TikTok videos and possibly even livestreams or stories. All of these provide faster and more engaging interactive elements, like comment sections and reposting. 

This change also gives staff more room for creativity in their storytelling and reporting. Writers and editors will be able to experiment with short videos, Instagram stories and live updates. As technology continues to grow and change, this is both an exciting and intimidating opportunity for staff to explore and learn many new skills beyond traditional reporting and writing.

As technology evolves and changes, this transition helps to provide new opportunities for student journalists. Student staff members will learn to develop skills in social media content which include video production and editing, in addition to traditional reporting and writing. 

This transition does raise questions on accuracy and credibility. Traditional reporting is known to be more in-depth and carefully written and edited to portray the narratives writers want. In a fast paced social media environment, it is important writers do not lose their credibility, but Erica Dolson, the advisor of The Etownian expressed she has no doubts about the staff’s credibility. 

“Our staff has always been really professional and always valued their professionalism and journalistic integrity, and I don’t see that changing in a new medium,” Dolson said. 

While the format is changing, the values of the paper are staying the same. The Etownian’s goal is to remain a source to inform the community, highlight student voices and cover events and issues of importance on campus. 

As the media keeps evolving, it is important that those who deliver information evolve with it. The staff hopes these changes help promote engagement with news on campus while adapting to modernized technological advances and trends. 

“If it works, it works. Hopefully it will work and it can be something done well over time and maintain good quality,” Girvan said.

Staff and faculty have expressed their excitement at what these changes could bring for the future of the publication and its readers. 

“I’m excited to see who the breakout stars of the Etownian social media will be,” Dolson said.