News Mission Statement

News will inform students and the campus community on events and issues affecting life on campus. The section will provide breaking news online and longer form, original stories in print and online.

How we will fulfill this

The News section will:

  • Focus on campus-related issues and only use non-campus stories when their effects can be described in an immediate and relatable manner
  • Find the broader scope in a seemingly small news story – make it “hit home” to students
  • Write articles with the ultimate goal of both informing AND entertaining
  • NOT disregard stories that are interesting but seems to have no university relevance – if you find it interesting and want to share it, other students will most likely find it interesting as well
  • Continue to be the watchdogs of the University Students’ Council and the University administration by developing beat blogs and conducting investigations
  • Enterprise stories: take initiative to find stories through word-of-mouth and by keeping an ear to the ground – not only through stories on other websites
  • Focus on longer-term stories related to large events on a variety of scales — be they campus, municipal or provincial — while working on daily content
  • Strive to write short, clear and non-academic articles to communicate information clearly to the reader
  • Inject a human interest into news stories
  • Cover news events live and deliver information in an objective manner to readers

 

News Editor Role Description

News editors are responsible for covering both Western and local news, finding news stories around campus, conducting daily story searches, editing all news drafts, managing volunteers and creating dynamic page layouts for the section.

Editors work on a one-day lead and are required to create daily online content and fill print content twice a week. News editors will also work collectively to cover live and breaking news as it happens at anytime during the week. The time commitment for the section is substantial, and editors are expected to be in the office from Monday to Friday, though they should expect to be in the office longer on days prior to publishing.

Editors may also be required to attend special events throughout the week and on the weekend. Editors should be able to work with a digital-first mentality, using live blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other digital tools when appropriate.

 

Expectations

  • Extreme dedication
  • Strong editing and writing skills
  • Basic knowledge of Canadian Press style
  • Be able to make quick judgement calls and have a basic understanding of journalistic ethics
  • Time management and organizational skills
  • Ability to generate innovative content
  • Ability to multi-task
  • Maintain a digital first mentality
  • Ability to work efficiently to meet set deadlines
  • Ability to manage and train volunteers
  • Ability to work as a cohesive team within the section, as well as collaborate with other sections to produce engaging content
  • Use social media actively to engage with our audience
  • Ability to pitch story ideas on a consistent basis
  • Being comfortable on camera in video content is an asset