Best Newspaper
Community Colleges

Winner: The Patriot Press, Central Florida CC
Runner-Up: In Motion, Daytona Beach CC
Honorable Mention: The Observer, Broward CC

Although we at Florida Leader hold Mr. Webster in the highest regard, it’s about time the dictionary demigod faces the fact that his definition for “annually” is grossly inadequate. Just ask the nearest community college newspaper adviser and he’d be happy to enlighten you to its true definition. “Annually” is defined by that period of time separating one heart attack from the next as the adviser watches his best editors and writers head off to four-year institutions. Annually is how often he has to start from scratch and pray for a miracle come production time. Annually is how often he looks at a bleak newsroom and wonders how he’s going to get through the next school year.

Because of the constant turnover within community colleges, it’s incredibly difficult for any campus newspaper to establish a legacy. Papers generally rise to the forefront briefly while others struggle for identity and then just as quickly fall back into the void. In 2003, however, three community college papers that have all kept up positive momentum for the last couple years reached new highs. Winner The Patriot Press from Central Florida Community College and runner-up In Motion from Daytona Beach Community College, as well as honorable mention The Observer from Broward Community College, all deserve a moment in the “Best of Florida Schools” for their commitment to continued improvement.

Winner
The Patriot Press—Central Florida CC.
Saying The Patriot Press has improved over the last three years is like saying cars have improved since the rigid Ford Model-T. You’d be hard-pressed to call the former incarnation, basically a glorified newsletter, a legitimate newspaper. However, by winning one of the 2003 Pacemaker awards— considered the Pulitzer Prize of college journalism—The Patriot Press declared to the nation that it was a serious paper. According to advisor Dava Tobey, the paper has garnered some well-deserved admiration. “We’ve become a respected publication, not only on campus, but also in the state and nation,” she says. “When we report on issues, students, staff, administrators, and the general public listen.” The Patriot Press was one of only four community college papers nationwide to win one of the 23 prestigious Pacemakers last year.

Through the editorial staff’s persistence and forceful reporting, The Patriot Press did this year what every college paper should strive to do—create change on campus. As a result of an investigative article published in October, CFCC now is overhauling its public safety protocol. From News to Features, the paper’s writing has taken on the air of a serious news organization, and nowhere is that more evident than in the impact the paper has had on campus. “I think it really helps students become more aware of different issues on campus,” says June Jones, dean of liberal arts and sciences. “Faculty and staff also look forward to seeing what’s important to the students.”

When it comes to design, this non-standard broadsheet is light years from where it was not long ago. Stories are packaged with graphics and vibrant photos to create a visually appealing look that works to accentuate the content, and the editors stick to a strict modular design that improves the paper’s flow. The photos in the 2003 spring semester issues were especially engaging, and the continued use of an attractive center spread is one of the paper’s strongest sections. “We’ve attempted to incorporate a modern design while still maintaining a traditional modular format,” says Don Rossignol, editor in chief. “We believe that our readers’ interest will be heightened if you give the paper a more artistic look.”

One significant disappointment is the paper’s decision to change the front page design and nameplate from an eye-catching and elegant appearance in the spring to a more spartan layout in the fall. Although the attempt to create more space on the front for articles is noble, papers shouldn’t sacrifice curb appeal and attractive design to do so, especially with a college paper.

Runner-up
In Motion—Daytona Beach CC
The first thing you notice about DBCC’s In Motion is the photography. Not only are the pictures vibrant and crisp, but the superior composition draws the reader into the human aspect of news articles. Because of the paper’s solid cover design and captivating photography, it’s no wonder Advisor Elena Jarvis says, “Our pick-up rate for the current academic year is almost 100 percent. We are also getting more hits on the web site, but most of all, the difference is evident in the increase of students joining the staff.”

Unlike many community college newspapers, the solid design and engaging photos go well beyond the front page in In Motion. It’s difficult to find interior, text-heavy pages, a common problem in community college papers, and the center spread photo stories in each issue are well thought out. “We’ve incorporated more visuals to make it more appealing and easy to read,” says Maria Garcia, editor from 2002 through 2003. “Our objective is to create a more dynamic and well organized paper.”

But In Motion is much more than a showplace for fascinating photos. The paper provides a good mix of campus and community news and excels at maintaining a student focus throughout the majority of articles. Stories are well-written, although copy editing could be better, but more important is the paper’s focus on journalistic integrity. “The newspaper is dedicated to the idea of diversity in the newsroom and serves to provide an atmosphere where student journalists can learn the skills needed to become ethical, inquiring, and objective members of the media,” Jarvis says.

In Motion’s biggest weakness is its lack of Student Government and administration coverage. It’s easy in a community college to rely too heavily on the Arts and Entertainment section for content. The News section should consist of more than news/features and event coverage. A stronger beat system and in-depth news reporting is essential if In Motion wants to be a force in national competitions.

Honorable Mention
The Observer—Broward CC
Not to be outdone, BCC’s The Observer could teach The Patriot Press and In Motion a few things about campus news coverage. With a wide array of quality articles all relating to campus, The Observer’s News section is easily the best of the three papers. In addition, the Op/Ed section stands strong with diverse articles and a steady influx of outside opinion pieces.

The paper’s crowning jewel is its Career pages. In each issue, a full page is devoted to highlighting a different career, including an overview, interviews with professionals, educational requirements, and salary information. “The career page seems to be making the most difference,” says Lynn Farber, coordinator of student publications. “The Career Counseling Center on each campus has begun keeping archives of this feature for us to help students.”

Although The Observer has the fundamentals of good design in place, it could use a lot more creativity in its layouts. From cover to cover, the paper doesn’t grab your attention. The front page especially is in need of a makeover, although the new nameplate is a big improvement over last year’s. By spending a little more time planning creative layouts before production day, the newspaper easily could rival any community college paper in the state.