A New Era for Journalism

Sunday, Jan. 20 will be a day I remember forever. It’s the day I left home for the start of the Spring 2019 semester, and truly realized that I was the next Editor-in-Chief of The Good Five Cent Cigar.

Being in charge of a 48-year-old newspaper with only three semesters of collegiate journalism experience is…well…absolutely terrifying.

As I write this column, there is one thing that has been stuck in the back of my mind- students choose journalism because they truly want to. No one picks it for the money, or because of the perks of being able to go beyond the office; they pick it so they can tell stories, inform the public, and follow a true and undying passion. Even with the growing “fake news” crisis and “rumors” of print news dying, journalists are persisting.

With a rapidly and drastically changing industry, The Good Five Cent Cigar has decided to follow suit. We have redesigned every inch of our paper, from the overall look, to the fonts, to the methods we use for our layout. In addition, we’re making a huge effort to incorporate student quotes into our articles whenever possible. As focused as we are on reporting the news, we’re also trying to make the student body feel much more connected.

Good newspapers are built on great reporting, and with a list of 20 reporters, a number that I know is much higher than anything The Cigar has seen in the last five years, I am confident that positive change and growth is only what lies ahead. With an ambitious editorial staff, and great reporters and photographers, I know there is absolutely no way that we will take anything less than 10 steps forward this year. It’s not only an exciting time for me, but everyone who is a part of the paper.

The best part about this next year in the newsroom is that I get to help everyone else see their ideas, ambitions, and ideals come to life. I am merely the light at the end of the tunnel that the editorial staff is inching closer to week after week.

However, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Susan Sancomb, our compositor, Theresa Brown, my managing editor, and the rest of the editorial staff: Julia Moro, Andrew Main, Kayla Michaud, Nick Cardi, Laura Weick, Anna Meassick, Mary Lind, and Siobhan Richards for pushing me to be a better Editor-in-Chief every second of every day, and helping me redesign not only the entire paper, but the entire method of thinking behind the paper. Also, thank you mom and dad for pushing me into my first journalism course during sophomore year of high school, I actually would not be where I am today without you guys.

Lastly, I would like to thank the University of Rhode Island’s Student Senate for continuing to give us an adequate amount of funding for printing and believing in the work we do.

We will be the “news monsters” of this campus, and we will never stop asking the tough questions, that is a promise.

So, welcome to the new Cigar.