College Newspapers

Does frighteningly alarmist journalism begin at a collegial level?

My university has two main newspapers that are freely distributed across campus. One of these papers seems to have a degree of real engagement with college life, the other however, is ridiculously removed from all concepts of reality. In fact, many people are beginning to wonder if any semblance of journalistic integrity can be found at all.

Unlike any writer for this paper, I am actually going to qualify this extreme opinion. Upon opening the last two editions of this paper, it becomes quite obvious that they have an intention to perpetuate alarmist rumours that only serve to create an idea of the evil, homosexual, foreign terrorist. It seems that we are always seconds from disaster and that these people are just biding their time before tearing down society around us. Of course, these insidious rumours are hardly put out in the open, but are subtly referenced in articles through tone and language in order to implant ideas unnoticed.

Perhaps I am being too harsh on a newspaper that was initially set up to counter their university sponsored adversary. In fact, the paper does have some interesting pop culture sections in every edition. But there is a very good reason that the Student's Union recently stopped funding this paper, such "journalism" only creates enmity and fear where we need unity and courage.

I do not call for censorship of such papers, just wisdom on the part of their readers.

-The English Student