“The Famuan is overrated.”
“I don’t like how The Famuan runs.”
“I don’t like the articles in The Famuan.”
These are just a few comments that I have heard students make about The Famuan newspaper lately. Many people would think this negative attention comes from students outside of journalism, but sadly, these statements are coming from students who walk the halls of the School of Journalism and Graphics Communication building everyday.
I don’t understand why students, especially those majoring in journalism, wouldn’t want to contribute to our newspaper. Without journalism students, there would be no newspaper.
When I first heard the comments from journalism students, I took the criticism constructively. As an editor, I changed the article topics at the suggestion of students. But after adjusting my section, journalism students were still not satisfied.
A lot of times students forget The Famuan is a springboard for students to get writing experience. Producing a newspaper is part of a learning process for students. And, if you haven’t noticed, the Famuan is a student-run, college paper. It is not The New York Times or The Tallahassee Democrat.
It seems as though journalism students who have not contributed to The Famuan this year have critiqued the paper more harshly than those who actually write. My question is: “How can you critique a paper you’ve never written for?”
When I have asked numerous journalism students to write articles, many of these students don’t want to write, or they wait until their senior year to scramble to The Famuan in desperate need of capstone clips.
Students who try to write for The Famuan often say we never call them back. But if they are eager enough to write, then they should get the editors’ phone numbers and call them for a story. Editors at The Famuan have a lot to worry about, probably more than the average student. We have classes like every other student, we have deadlines like any other journalist, and most of all, we work so much in The Famuan office that we barely see the outside world.
Yes, I’d like to have a social life too, but I have a job to do.
We really don’t have enough staff to accommodate everything that must be completed in order to produce a paper, so cut us some slack. The Famuan staff is doing the best with what has given to us.
The Famuan needs writers and people who can continue to help make us an award-winning paper.
If you aren’t going to contribute, then don’t waste your time defaming the paper. By complaining, you are not helping The Famuan at all.
Instead of being so critical, try helping The Famuan out. If you can’t write an article, find someone else who can or come to The Famuan and give constructive criticism instead of negativity.
For those that are involved and do play a role in our success, I’m grateful.
And, if you have so many problems with The Famuan, then take our jobs and see if you can make it better. Apparently The Famuan can’t be too bad because you’re reading this article.
Latasha Edwards is a junior public relations student from Houston. She can be reached at famuanopinions@hotmail.com.