Student Newspaper Adapts Online

Mar 30, 2020

The Cal Times continues to provide information on the University, students, faculty, staff and alumni as Cal U continues with remote operations.

cal times

A recent Cal Times feature on what to watch at home.

 

The Cal Times student newspaper is still “delivering.”

The publication, which is funded by the Student Association Inc., has switched to remote operations as part of the University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper is publishing twice a week during the spring semester. To subscribe via email or to read the paper online, visit caltimes.org.

“It makes sense to do this because all of the other news outlets we see are still publishing online,” said sophomore news editor Hannah Wyman. “This is a monumental time in our history, so it’s important that we report what’s happening now. 

“Our students offer authentic and original perspectives, and since we are able to publish on an online format, we will keep going.” 

Jeff Helsel, director of  Multimedia Journalism for the Student Association Inc. and the Cal Times adviser, said staff members have stayed in contact through the GroupMe app. 

“We are looking for ways to continue to do what we do, just without the print format and doing everything online,” Helsel said. “We’ve been responding to a lot of requests, particularly from Student Affairs and SAI to help spread the word of what our student clubs, groups, and organizations are doing to adapt to this online learning environment. 

“Many are still functioning in different ways.” 

Wyman, an English major in the Honors Program, said she is relying on emails or phone calls for interviews rather than covering live events and speaking in person. 

“I feel that what we are doing now is very reflective of what a daily newspaper newsroom would be like in today’s world, just constantly moving, sifting with everything that’s happening,” she said.  “I believe this is good practice to work through it because newspapers, television and radio stations do not shut down when something difficult such as this strikes.” 

How the University, students, faculty and staff are moving forward during the pandemic is the main focus, Helsel said. 

“We connect with and understand the University website is the main source for all information,” he said. “We also have a COVID-19 response section and just want to offer it with a student perspective and complement the thorough information from the University homepage.” 

Wyman said the Cal Times recently reached out to alumni and staff to put together a list of binge-worthy shows to watch during the pandemic. 

“We have a good team at the paper and work well with CUTV and WCAL because we are all media journalism,” Wyman said. “We are fortunate through online, social media and technology that we can still operate and hope we can be a voice to people as well as a source of comfort or needed diversion.”