The Tufts Daily is celebrating its 25th anniversary in style this weekend, inviting a number of Tufts alums and media professionals to speak on issues facing news media both at the University and beyond.
There will be a series of panels taking place tomorrow in the Crane Room from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The panels will feature Tufts Daily alums who are currently in media-related positions, including NBC News President Neal Shapiro ('80) and New York Times reporter Patrick Healy ('93).
The Tufts Daily was created as a four-page newspaper in 1980 under the direction of its first editor-in-chief, William Frechtman ('81). He thought that the campus "deserved timely communication of news and information."
The newspaper was originally a Tufts Community Union (TCU)-funded organization, but by the 1990s it had weaned itself off of the TCU and expenses were paid for entirely by advertising revenue.
According to current Daily Editor-in-Chief senior Mark Evitt, tomorrow's series of panels and discussions is the newspaper's attempt to give something back to the Tufts community.
"The Daily is here because it is read and supported by the members of this University," he said. "I think that this event will allow students to discuss media issues as they relate to professional media and to Tufts, and I'm glad the Daily could be the one to facilitate it."
Evitt said he is looksing forward to participating in the 2 p.m. panel discussing "The Evolving Role of Campus Newspapers," which will feature University Professor and former provost Sol Gittleman, and Ex College lecturer and former Tufts Observer Editor-in-chief Phil Primack ('71).
Tomorrow will also feature the inaugural meeting of The Tufts Daily Alumni Council, an organization created by Daily alums to provide advice in the operation of the paper, facilitate communication about job and internship opportunities, and create social networks. The Council also allows associate membership to the Observer and Communications and Media Studies alumni.
The day of events will be concluded with an alumni dinner in Alumni Lounge to celebrate the Daily's 25 years on the Hill. Current staff who plan on attending said they hope to learn a little bit about the history of the Daily and the role it can play in their post-Tufts future.
"It's going to be interesting to see what alums have done with their Daily experience," current Managing Editor junior Jess Keiser said. "I can't imagine spending 30 hours a week in a small basement office for your entire college career can be good for you, but I guess I'll find out on Saturday."
The panel on "Media and its Role in Politics," featuring Healy, will start at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
"Are We Still the Good Guys? Beginning Journalism in a Post-Blair/Rathergate World," featuring Shapiro, will start at 1 p.m.
