Print and broadcast organizations keep students involved, informed

Credit: Beth Rankin

Part of staying involved in any community — whether it be a city, town, campus or organization — is reading its publications.

A publication serves not only as a record of news and happenings, but also as a reflection of culture.

Kent State has a vibrant, award-winning student media. There are several publications for students to read and work for, among them Artemis, The Burr, the Daily Kent Stater, Fusion, Luna Negra, SEEDs of CHANGE and Uhuru. Students are involved in just about every aspect of the publishing process from reporting and writing to design and layout for each publication.

Not to be left out, students interested in broadcast have the opportunity to work for TV-2, the student-run television channel, and Black Squirrel Radio, the student-run radio station.

Artemis, which is published bi-annually, addresses women’s issues through narratives, poetry and research pieces.

Erin Roof, senior magazine journalism major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater, will be the editor of Artemis this fall. She said the main theme for the upcoming issue, which should be out sometime in November, will be anti-cosmopolitan and will address how the bombardment of beautiful women in the media affects women’s body image.

Roof said she is looking for more writers, photographers and poets. Anyone interested can contact her at [email protected].

The Burr is a general interest magazine published twice per academic year.

Last spring’s issue featured articles on topics ranging from Canada to Devo and dumpster diving.

The Burr can be found across campus as well as online at http://burr.kent.edu.

The Daily Kent Stater, which covers Kent State and its surroundings, comes out five days a week, Monday through Friday.

The Stater can be found in buildings across campus as well as at area businesses.

Fusion, one of the newest magazines on campus, focuses on the gay, lesbian and trans-gender culture through a college perspective, fall editor Jessica Rothschuh said. It is also published bi-annually and usually comes out the last two weeks of the semester, said Rothschuh, a senior magazine journalism major and Stater news correspondent.

Copies of Fusion can be found on campus and on the Internet at http://fusion.kent.edu.

Published once a semester, Luna Negra is an arts- and literary-based publication that features poetry, fiction prose, articles, photography and art.

Next year will mark its 50th anniversary. Editor Andrew Hampp, senior magazine journalism major and Stater features editor, said for this year he is planning a huge issue along with related events like a reunion/poetry dinner and a writing contest.

Luna Negra will begin accepting submissions from students, faculty and others in October.

SEEDs of CHANGE is run by two student organizations, SEED and CHANGE. The activist organizations focus on environmental issues and social justice.

The theme for the fall issue will be the artwork of activism, said Fred Baerkircher, a graduate student of library sciences and member of the publication’s editorial collective.

Uhuru, which covers minority issues, publishes in December and May. The magazine deals with the “uplifting and improvement of the lives of African-Americans,” said editor Tara Pringle, senior magazine journalism major and Stater enterprise reporter.

Covering the Pan-African experience, Uhuru runs both news and feature articles, short stories and poetry.

Uhuru can be found throughout campus and on the Internet at http://www.uhuru.kent.edu.

Aside from print publications, Kent State also has broadcast opportunities.

TV-2, the student run TV channel, broadcast on channel 2 in the residence halls and Channel 16 on Time Warner Cable, features student-produced shows like the popular Sports Corner, a talk show about Kent State sports and other sports. It also offers newscasts Monday through Friday, which are broadcast on campus at 5:30 p.m. and to the rest of Portage County at 6:30 p.m.

Amanda Seese, senior broadcast journalism major and general manager of TV-2, said auditions for TV-2 newscasters are held the first Wednesday of each semester, and tech auditions are held the first Thursday.

Formerly WKSR, Black Squirrel Radio is Kent State’s only student-run radio station. Students can hear the station on campus on channel 4 on their TVs or on the Web at http://wksr.kent.edu.

Contact College of Communication and Information reporter John Oberlin at [email protected].