Check out the new newsroom staff organization.

If you’re reading this, we’re happy. That means you still value the feel of a traditional newspaper in your hands.

Even so, let’s be realistic: Our generation is the most technologically savvy group of people who are finding ways to communicate each day. We’re Facebook, YouTube and Twitter addicts. And many of us are unnaturally attached to our smartphones and e-mail accounts.

That’s why we revamped the structure of student media at Kent State – to better serve your need for campus and community news.

FRONT-PAGE ADS You’ll notice the bottom of today’s front page contains an advertisement. This is the first of 10 advertisements from the athletic department throughout the semester, and more advertisers may follow. Like the rest of the newspaper industry, the Stater has been affected by declining ad revenue, and selling front-page ads is one way to make more money. Many national newspapers already do so. To save space for the ads, we’ve moved the KentNewsNet.com box to the bottom left-hand side of the front page, in the rail.

Sure, you’ll still be able to grab a copy of the Stater on your way to class Monday through Friday. But we don’t want you to stop there.

Visit our Web site, KentNewsNet.com, for more photos and news stories, as well as videos, audio soundslides and Twitter updates. You’ll notice the site is a collaboration of Stater, TV2 and Black Squirrel Radio content.

This year, we created a new student media position called newsroom coordinator, who is responsible for bridging partnerships among the three media outlets. It’s our hope that by working together more, our reporters will be producing improved content – more in-depth stories with multimedia elements online.

A newspaper can only fit so much information. But at a university with eight campuses, Kent State never has a shortage of stories to share. Luckily, the Web provides an unlimited outlet for all stories and allows for interaction with our readers.

You don’t just have to read your news. Now you can listen to it, watch it and comment on it at KentNewsNet. If a story strikes you, hop online and see how it’s affecting other readers. While you’re browsing the site, expect to find new content. It won’t be a total rehashing of the day’s paper.

And before you sign off, take some time to:

• follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kent360. We won’t barrage you with tweets – just the stuff you should know as a Kent State student or Kent resident.

• sign up for KentNewsNet breaking news alerts. Go to KentNewsNet.com and click the “register” tab at the top of the site. It’s free to receive the breaking news e-mails.ÿ

But enough about us. We want to hear from you, too. Know a student or professor with an interesting hobby or experience? Hear a good story tip that would have a major impact on campus? Let us know. We encourage your thoughts and hope you have a great semester.

Contact newsroom coordinator Kristine Gill at [email protected] and Daily Kent Stater editor Jackie Valley at [email protected].