From the Editor-in-Chief: Production delays and a larger online presence

David Ryan Palmer
Editor-in-Chief

David Ryan Palmer
Editor-in-Chief

I write 'Editor-in-Chief' as my title because it's technically true, in the same way as me writing 'Boss-of-My-Own-Body' would be.  It's lonely at the top, as the saying goes.

We've had a single issue published, back on September 8.  It was a special back to school issue, and can be easily found around campus, as well as on on Issuu.  Inside is important stuff, things about parking and the bookstore and getting involved, but it's not a newspaper.  It's not content produced by a majority of students, with informing students about things going on around campus that might interest them in a way that hopefully entertains them.

We are looking to publish an issue of The Contraband every two weeks, which some would say is the beginning of the end for a publication.  Daily newspapers go to every other day, then to once a week, and eventually they wither on the vine, too slow to catch breaking news but not slick enough to be filled with longer written, more magazine style pieces.

In some ways this is simply the natural evolution of media.  Everywhere you look you see blogs, you see newspapers incorporating video and multimedia, much like we have this semester. At the same time, there's nothing like holding a paper in your hands, smelling the ink and the paper, and being able to physically read a story while waiting for coffee to cool or your friends to show up at an event.

That's why we're not going to be going exclusively online this semester.  At The Contraband, I'm committed to bringing you a full print copy in some form, even if it's only every other week.  At the same time, we do want to be able to be found online, which means more and more content, sometimes exclusive content, directly on this blog.  You'll find videos, you'll find interactive multimedia, and you'll find experiments in online storytelling and interactivity.

We already have a couple of new folks writing for us: Miracle Prudhomme and Tucker Rhoden have stamped their names on this blog, and into the paper itself when we get to publication.  We're always looking for diverse voices, as well as press releases and coverage of campus events. Any major, any classification is welcome to submit stories, letters, pictures and videos

Thanks for reading, and here's to a great 2015 and 2016.

David Ryan Palmer is the editor-in-chief for The Contraband, and the blog contrabandnews.blogspot.com.  Contact him at msucontraband@gmail.com and on twitter @msucontraband, as well as on Facebook at Facebook.com/McNeeseStudentPublications.