Student journalism has come under the spotlight after a series of media outlets reported on alleged censorship of the campus newspaper at Liberty University. Student editors and reporters working for the “Liberty Champion” say faculty members and the president of the university, Jerry Falwell Jr., spiked articles they found to be critical of the university or amended articles they thought were critical of President Trump. Falwell told students that the newspaper had been created to champion the interest of the university, and that the institution, as the publisher of the publication, is responsible for content decisions. The situation sparked debates across the Liberty campus and beyond.
This hour, we talk to local student journalists about ethics issues surrounding student publications and freedom of the press. Our guests:
- Trevor Whitestone, editor-in-chief of the “Campus Times” at the University of Rochester
- Taylor Goethe, views editor for the “Reporter” at RIT
- Rudy Pugliese, advisor for the “Reporter”at RIT
- Andrea Hickerson, director of the School of Communication at RIT
