The Insiders
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Sep
19
The Ubyssey is kicking ass
Posted by: Neal Yonson | September 19, 2007 | 10 Comments
Some of you may remember Gina’s issues with the Ubyssey – UBC’s official student newspaper. They’ve misquoted, butchered grammar, gotten names wrong, ignored major news stories, inflated readership numbers, published cringeable writing, and been at the AMS’s throat in the past.
But I just want to say, that this September, the Ubyssey has been kicking ass. It’s bigger and fuller than last year. The design and, especially photography, have been fantastic. The news has been timely. There were thorough updates on campus events and politics that took place over the summer months. The feedback has been fun. The background on news items has been accurate. The relationship with AMS seems to be functioning better.
OK, so the editorials are still a bit tasteless, each issue contains more sports than I’d read in a year, the website is a sodding mess (bring back the old one!!), and the reliance on the where-to-shop/eat/party/travel-on-a-low-budget format is a little heinous, but other than those quibbles, way to go
It seems that the double news editors, Brandon Adams and Boris Korby, are doing good things. AMS president Jeff Friedrich has noted his satisfaction with them in conversation, maybe signaling a more harmonious era between the offices upstairs and downstairs. The dependable Jesse Ferreras pumps out stories on AMS with reliability. Levi Barnet as copy/feedback/research is a welcome relief from the incompetence of Andrew MacRae – you need not fear the butchering of your letters any more!
True, I’m addicted to newsprint in more or less any form. But lets give credit when it’s due. And without negating the possibility for plenty of more improvements, I really think it is due.
Comments
10 Comments so far
Hear! Hear! Well said!
I too need to note my extreme satisfaction with the way in which the Ubyssey has been doing things as of late. From reporting on AMS stuffs, to responding very promptly to any requests, to doing all manner of other things. Really, a great and commendable effort.
I still dislike that a good quarter of the paper focuses on the grunge festival, but that’s just me.
Yes, I agree that the Ubyssey is kicking ass. I usually go searching for it (I don’t have to search far) the day it comes out. However, I was just distraught by an article in the last issue that essentially argued that the Upass doesn’t meet student needs and that we all need to buy cars. From there it turned into a car buying guide. Dissing the Upass? Freedom of speech has been taken too far!
Oh dear! AMS insiders are happy with what they see in the Ubyssey… that means the editors are not doing their job :P
Actually, without the Ubyssey, I’m not sure there would be very much critical commentary of the AMS.
Greetings from Germany, I’m happy the new personnel has brought some change!
One thing though… they’re new website really sucks.
The old one was always up to date and easy to navigate. This one’s just a mess. Boo technology changes!
Well I think the fact that they’re still hiring a webmaster is the main reason for the lack of webiste updates. It’s gonna be great once it’s getting constantly updated though.
Haha, I agree about the sport-dominance though. Even the website!
I know we love sports as young people, but still! Wonder how the so very incredibly proliferic sports reporter got so much in. :D
Heh. At the Imagine Main Event Carnvial, I walked up to the Ubyssey booth to express my dissatisfacion with the amount of sports represented in the Ubyssey. I talked to Kellan Higgins (I believe)… well, actually, I talked to two guys, and I’m pretty positive Kellan was the one that essentially said to me “there’s a lot of sports in the Ubyssey so our budding sports journalists can get some practice”. Ahem. He proceeded to rip out the Sports page and hand me the Ubyssey, sans T-birds boringness. The other guy was noticeably nicer.
I think I’ll be writing for the Ubyssey when I get the time (fingers crossed). Stay tuned, kids.
Their new new website (post-Christmas) is the bomb.