Thoughts on student newspaper censorship

Endless Fuel

by Astrid Viveros*

On January 2006, La Catarina, the college newspaper I worked for, was forced to stop publishing accurate, true stories that were labeled as overly critical. I naively thought Mexican media would have an instant uproar for such atrocity. We received support from a couple of local newspapers but were criticized by many others. We were portrayed in stories and articles as young troublemakers looking for attention, students trying to spoil the good name of one of Mexico’s finest universities.

However, we brushed the criticisms away and reminded ourselves we were fighting for a right cause: freedom of speech. After a couple of weeks of reaching out to national and international media, the administration caved in and we were able to publish our newspaper again. After this incident, I can proudly say that La Catarina saw some of the best work in it’s history.

Petition to release two U.S. journalists held in North Korea

Reporters Without Borders 2009

Reporters Without Borders and the International Media Women’s Foundation are collecting signatures to release American reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee held unjustifiably and unjustly in North Korea.

To read more about this situation go to:

http://www.rsf.org/American-reporters-get-very-severe.html

To sign the petition go to:

http://www.iwmf.org/subcatdetail.aspx?sc=letter#commentblock

Know your universal rights

Watch The F Word

Support independent film making

Subpoena for UCSB Student Newspaper Photos Dropped

Source: Santa Barbara Independent

Public Defender Sought Unpublished Photos From Anti-War Protest. (Continue Reading)

And we’re back…

The reason I had abandoned this blog is that I’m planning my thesis, which actually has a lot to do with this blog. I’ll propose the creation of an international nonprofit to protect student press against censorship. Pretty much like an International Student Press Law Center.

I’ll be posting some news through out the thesis development. I hope I’ll receive more comments from you.

See ya

Censorship in Australia’s student press

Source: Honi Soit, Sydney University newspaper

Amelia Walkley explores the state of student media in Australia, and how our precious independent publications are threatened by the Voluntary Student Unionism. (Continue reading)

Writes of Passage

Derek Tinker writes that student magazines in Australian universities range from laddish rags to high-brow publications, but they’re all fertile breeding grounds for the journalists of tomorrow. (Continue reading)

Wichita State in dispute with student newspaper

Source: Fort Mill Times

Officials at Wichita State University have appointed a task force to review the operations of the school’s student newspaper, claiming the Sunflower suffers from sloppy journalism. (Continue reading)

Not my idea of a good time

Hello Web Surfers,

Before entering the tough blog jungle, Melted Pen was a project for a college class. Although I made sure every post and page has its references and sources, I don’t want authors feel like I’m using their stuff without caring about their concern. Please let me know if you rather want your work off this blog, no hard feelings.

Thanks.