Poetic prose, conservative commentary, radical feature stories, a multilingual publication and an abundance of political and entertainment news are just a few examples of what exists in the University’s expansive, student-run media culture.
The existence of such media relies in part on student dollars budgeted through the ASUO. All of the publications, however, are expected to fundraise, and some of them, such as the Oregon Commentator, receive private donations. Others, such as the Oregon Daily Emerald, sell advertisements to increase their levels of funding.
Among its many allocations, the incidental fee, which is set to be $195 for the 2008-09 school year, enables students to express themselves through a variety of campus media outlets. Student voices can be heard through a student-run radio station, and free publications ranging from one end of the political spectrum to the other.
Global Talk is the University’s first multilingual publication, and it includes sections in Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and Arabic, among other languages. According to founding editor, Nicolino Applauso, the publication, which is gaining global attention, is generally distributed a few times per term and includes creative writing, poetry, reviews and international news that cannot be found in any other publication on campus. Applauso said Global Talk is the only publication of its kind in Oregon, and even some ivy-league colleges are without multilingual publications. Global Talk encourages students to “be open to other cultures, and not to be closed in their own world,” he said. ASUO program budget: $1,000.
KD Magazine is an independent multicultural publication produced and managed by students in the School of Journalism and Communication. The quarterly magazine strives to “expose students to different cultures and different ways of thinking and seeing,” Peter Barna, the editor in chief, said. KD also strives to introduce and engage its readers in social issues and other cross-cultural ways of life. ASUO program budget: $2,300.
Oregon Voice is a student-run publication entering its 20th year that focuses on the arts, human interest subjects and local forms of entertainment. “We intend to provide news that isn’t skewed one way or another – news we feel students want to read about,” publisher Stephen Person said. The publication offers a variety of different writing styles, including poetry and essays, and has included interviews with the creators of “South Park” and “Family Guy.” “I want readers to have at least one laugh from every publication,” Person said. ASUO program budget: $11,058.
The Insurgent is an alternative, student-directed newspaper providing a radical voice for the political left. Its content includes news, short fiction, feature stories, poetry, and cultural criticism. In addition to being free to students, the Insurgent is also distributed free of cost to prisoners. Independent from partisan organizations, its goal, according to its mission statement, is “to provide a forum for those working towards a society free from oppression based on class, gender, sexual orientation, race, species, and free from the threat of ecological collapse.” ASUO program budget: $20,977.
The Oregon Commentator is a conservative, independent publication of opinion in its 25th year of publication. According to its mission, the Commentator seeks to illustrate that conservative politics centered on individual thinking and liberty is a smart way to view the world. “The OC offers a point of view you won’t find anywhere else on campus,” Editor in Chief C.J. Ciaramella said. Ciaramella said one of the publication’s main strengths is its ability to incorporate humor in its opinionated content. Although the publication is considered conservative, he said he views it more as contrarian. “We have contrarian viewpoints within our contrarian viewpoints,” Ciaramella said. ASUO program budget: $12,541.
The Oregon Daily Emerald is an independent, student-run newspaper, publishing daily Monday-Friday during the school year. The Emerald includes coverage of sports, news, politics as well as arts and entertainment, and has been published since 1900. The Emerald also includes an opinion section where students can express their viewpoints and positions on issues. The Emerald, which is under contract with the ASUO for student subscriptions, aims to provide students with a primary source of information for news about the University and surrounding community. ASUO distribution contract: $145,000.
KWVA, 88.1 FM, is a student-run and operated radio station that provides a voice for students, and offers a wide range of music and information that is unavailable in most commercial broadcasts, according to its Web site. The station operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and focuses on events involving student- and University-related groups. The station also incorporates live bands on-air, and conducts interviews with a variety of different artists in its broadcasts. EMU program budget: $155, 694.
Flux magazine is produced annually by students in the School of Journalism and Communication. Published in the spring, it consists of an array of feature stories, it and has won the National Magazine Pacemaker award from the Associated Collegiate Press 13 times in 14 years. Associate editor and writer Peter Barna said an important benefit of Flux is that it is 80 percent story and 20 percent advertisements. Barna also said the designers do amazing work, and the publication is created by “the best of the writers in journalism school.” Barna describes the content of the magazine as having some fun stories, but also having many thought-provoking pieces. “It’s phenomenal for a student magazine,” he said. Flux is a publication of the School of Journalism and Communication.
DUCK U is a student-produced television variety show, which includes news, sports, drama and comedy segments in addition to other types of content. The program also includes segments that serve as a voice for students, allowing them to express themselves and see, as well as hear, the expression of other students. DUCK U is a television show produced by the School of Journalism and Communication.
KWAX, 91.1 FM, is an entirely classical, noncommercial radio station that attracts listeners from all around the world. The station is operated by the University, and it features performances by the School of Music and Dance as well as the Eugene Symphony. “It’s good background music to study to,” said Operations Director Rocky Lamanna, who is in his 18th year at the station. Lamanna said the station encourages students to look beyond their iPods and listen to the radio. KWAX is University owned and run, but is supported by donations from its listeners and sponsorships.
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