Funding Sources

To:                  Journalistic Integrity Committee

From:              Tiffany Moffo Simpson, chair
                       Jacqueline Cobbina-Boivin
                       Chris Brine

 Subject:           Funding Sources for Campus Newspapers and Media Boards

 Date:               April 25, 2007

 
Objective:

1. Identify the funding sources for the Recorder and the Media Board.
2. Identify the funding sources of student newspapers at the other CSU universities and our peer institutions.
3. Compare the amount of funding available to the Recorder to that available to other student newspapers.

 Summary:

1. Identify the funding sources for the Recorder and the Media Board.

Central Connecticut State University’s (CCSU’s) Media Board obtains its funding through the Media Fee, which is charged to each student upon enrolling at the University. CCSU’s Media Board distributes portions of media fee to other media organizations such as the yearbook, the Dial; campus radio station, WFCS; the CCSU Literary magazine, The Helix; and other media mediums in addition to the Recorder. The Recorder can seek additional funds from the Media Board if necessary.
 

**Please note that of the 14 institutions researched (including CCSU), seven schools have some type of a media board. Eastern Connecticut State University and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth are exploring the concept of establishing a media board. It is unclear as to why some media boards are funded while others are not.

2. Identify the funding sources of student newspapers at the other CSU universities and our peer institutions.

In reviewing our peer institutions, we discovered that out of the 14 institutions we reviewed, 12 out of the 14 received their funding from some form of student activity fee or media fee and advertising revenue. The exceptions to these findings were William Patterson University where there are two campus newspapers: the Pioneer Times is recognized and funded by the Communications Department, while the Beacon is funded primarily through advertising revenue. Another exception is the University of Central Missouri, which received a portion of their funding from the Provost Office, academic budget.

**Please note that funding for the media boards and school newspapers vary year to year and are based on student enrollment and advertising revenue.
 

3. Compare the amount of funding available to the Recorder to that available to other student newspapers.
    

In comparing the amount of funding available to the Recorder to that available to CCSU’s peer institutions, we discovered the Recorder is comparable to four out of the 14 institutions that were reviewed. These peer institutions are Western Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University and University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. The budgets for these institutions are between $60,000.00 and $90,000.00.

The total budget for the Recorder is about $60,000.00 per year. The CCSU Media Board allocates about $30,000.00 per year to the Recorder. An additional $30,000.00 is generated from advertising revenue.

University of Central Missouri, Montclair State University, Southern Illinois University and Valdosta State University all have budgets that total or exceed $100,000.00.

The budgets for the remaining five peer institutions — with the exclusion of CUNY Brooklyn College — total less than $60,000.00.

**Please see attached chart for further information about Sources of Funding for Campus Newspapers and Media Boards.

Recommendations:

• Even though this committee was not formed because of a libel case, the

University should consider purchasing libel insurance for the entire Recorder staff, the paper (itself) and its advisor, which is similar to what the University of Central Missouri has.

• The Media Board and advertising revenue should continue to be the funding source for the Recorder.