Texas A&M University’s student newspaper, The Battalion, is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a gala this weekend.
Sue Owen of the Texas A&M Former Journalism Students Association says the event, which will bring together former Battalion employees from several decades, is also meant to raise awareness of the newspaper’s current struggles.
“With the drop in advertising, they’ve had to go down to publishing three days a week instead of five, they’ve cut the size of the paper, which is something you see with newspapers everywhere,” said Owen.
The Battalion has also stopped paying student staff.
“They’re in danger, funding-wise, of becoming like a club or a hobby, and we there is a whole lot of us who don’t want that to happen,” said Owen.
According to Owen, former students raised more than $4,000 in a matter of days for the event and Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp also stepped in, providing $5,000 for the event.
Speakers include CNN’s Sonia Moghe ’07 and Debby Krenek ’78, the publisher of Newsday.
Owen said it is a good sign that Texas A&M brought back its journalism major a few years ago, but the paper’s funding is still in danger.
“It’s something that really does produce vital skills, and we don’t want it to go away,” said Owen.
The gala is sold out, but you can still help by making a donation here.
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