Campus-born publications started by j-school students
Anyone who went through Ryerson’s journalism program would know the independent student newspaper The Eyeopener, possibly having even written for them. But The Eyeopener and the School of Journalism’s Ryersonian news outlet are not the only student-led journalism opportunities kicking around campus.
The RSJ is highlighting publications initiated by Ryerson journalism students currently running. The journalism scene is busy, with many new publications popping up within just the past year, while also launching podcasts and a strong social media presence. Some of these publications are able to print through funding from the Ryerson Communication and Design Society, while others are running websites through the pocket money of their founders.
BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE
New Wave Magazine (external link)
New Wave Magazine is a diverse and inclusive feminist publication that produces reporting, creative writing, poetry, photography, design pieces and more. Contributors come from a variety of programs.
In 2018 New Wave replaced McClung’s Magazine, which started at Ryerson in 1992. When former journalism student Yusra Javed got the position of editor-in-chief, she recruited her friends and then fellow second-years, Sherina Harris and Julia Mastroianni, as managing editor and co-editor-in-chief.
“She really was the one who, in so many ways, made sure that magazine got printed,” says Harris about Javed, who passed away last September (external link) .
The trio would meet in the Venn after media techniques class to plan the magazine and worked to bring new people to the masthead. This was their first experience in editorial roles and just the beginning of other journalism opportunities.
Harris and Mastroianni agree that the real-life community they created through New Wave was one of their proudest accomplishments and something that any campus publication would benefit from.
“People were really choosing New Wave as a space to share important, difficult stories to tell about their own lives, their own experiences, and then also coming together and bonding,” says Harris. “That was just really special, to see that we created this kind of community.”
Emily Peotto, current editor-in-chief, says that although they don’t publish hard news pieces, their reporting is backed up with thorough fact-checking. They rely on a masthead that publishes content online, through social media and in the bi-annual print issue (this spring’s issue has been pushed to fall due to COVID-19).
“(We’re) just giving voices to people who may not necessarily get one in a more traditional newsroom or traditional publication,” says Emily Peotto. “I think talking about very personal subjects is still journalism… it's just a different form of journalism.”
The Unaffiliated Press (external link)
RSJ students Ben Cohen and Felix Wong first started The Unaffiliated Press in 2017 to bring fresh ideas to readers. The publication does this through multiple mediums, including long-form features and the podcast, Gone Full Circle. It started as a student-run group without any campus affiliation, hence the name.
“The idea is that the content isn't related to Ryerson or its students and that you learn something new every time you (consume) it,” says Aaliyah Dasoo, outgoing managing editor.
After Cohen and Felix left in late 2018, Minh Truong stepped in as editor-in-chief and, with Dasoo, restructured The Unaffiliated Press and established a new masthead.
“We've come such a long way since our first year,” says Dasoo. “We have some really good writers on our team who show a lot of commitment and loyalty. I'm confident that we’ll leave it in their hands and they’ll do a good job.”
Dasoo says that they worked very hard to gain funding for their first print issue, set for later this year. In the future, she hopes the publication receives income for its volunteer staff.
“Filling inthese applications for grants is very time consuming, but it reminds you why your initiative is important and why you're doing it.”
Folio was started in 2011 by RSJ alumna Jen Tse and business management alumnus Trung Ho as a general interest magazine focusing on stories that appeal to the Ryerson community.
Folio has contributors from a wide variety of programs at Ryerson. The annual print issue includes long-form pieces, the website publishes content throughout the year and they also have a podcast.
Editor-in-chief Mariyam Khaja was initially drawn to Folio because she hopes to work for a magazine after she graduates.
“Even while acting as an editor, you learn so much because you read (such) great writing from different writers that you wouldn't normally interact with,” says Khaja.
This year the masthead happened to be entirely comprised of women from diverse backgrounds.
“That was not intentional, it just sort of happened that we found we had that team as a result of us just hiring the best people for the job,” says Khaja. “It was honestly such a fulfilling experience to work with these talented women.”
Due to COVID-19 this year’s annual issue was published online only (external link) .
NEW THIS YEAR
Over the Line Sports (external link)
During the fall of their first year, journalism students Curtis Martin and Alex Baumgartner found themselves craving a space to share their love of sports and develop their writing skills without feeling constrained. Other Ryerson publications tend to focus on university sports and they wanted an outlet for professional sports.
While discussing this on Martin’s couch last October, they bought the website in a spur-of-the-moment decision. After getting other first-years on board, Over the Line Sports was born, featuring a wide range of professional and university sports.
“Technology is such a great thing, where I think (that) now we could do this,” says Martin. “Could you imagine, if we were in the ’70s like, ‘We're going to start a newspaper’?”
Martin and Baumgartner have long been sports fanatics — following sports commentators influenced their decisions to take journalism at Ryerson. This was carried over to the OTL Podcast they debuted in May, which has been actively updated along with their other content throughout the summer.
Having flexibility with inexperienced writers sets OTL Sports apart — the website is not deadline-driven and contributors are encouraged to submit content they are passionate about. Martin and Baumgartner maintain trust by encouraging open peer-to-peer dialogue and having a safe space to grow.
“When people say we’re ambitious for our first year — we're ambitious for doing this, but then it takes a lot for our peers to want to write,” says Baumgartner. “I feel like it’s a lot easier to hear (criticism) from someone that I know… because we're all on the same level. We don't compare ourselves to anyone.”
They credit their team members’ dedication to the website taking off and gaining clicks from around the world. Without them, Martin says they “would have crashed and burned by now.”
The Canada Files (external link)
This leftist news site focuses on Canadian foreign policy and regional politics and is pushing out nearly daily content. First-year journalism student Aidan Jonah came up with the idea, and fellow first-year Mariam Nouser joined him tolaunch the website in late November 2019.
“Traditional media doesn't really give room for people that have opinions that don't fit into the status quo,” says Jonah.
The Canada Files sees contributors from students at Ryerson and elsewhere, as well as activists and special columnists. Their podcast, Settlers Brave Space, explores how settlers and their descendants can positively contribute to decolonization.
Jonah says that the taboo around showing bias in journalism is problematic and that internal biases held by journalists themselves should be acknowledged.
“I hope to (give this generation) the idea that you don't have to stick to the status quo of how journalism always has been, because I believe that's been doing a tremendous disservice to people,” says Jonah. “I think that really does need to change.”
The Canada Files is gaining web traffic from around the world, recently hitting 103,000 article views since it started, and has been covering recent events around racism closely. Jonah says that he hopes to develop funding and convert the website into an institution. He would love to have The Canada Files clubs at universities with journalism and communications programs across Canada.
In February, third-year students Raviya Singh, Cheyenne Bolla and Natalie Michie launched Trick, an intersectional publication focused on uplifting marginalized people and encouraging a safe space for creative content typically not included in the journalism program.
Singh was the one who came up with the concept. She reached out to Bolla and Michie, women she trusted.
“We had creative ideas when it came to photography and whatnot that we didn't really have a channel for,” says Singh. “And I was thinking a lot about how I felt kind of confined by the options I did have.”
The editors find inspiration from culturally diverse artists, including those in R&B, rap and spoken word. “Trick,” the magazine’s name, can be used as a term to describe a prostitute’s client.
“A lot of female artists use the word ‘trick’ to reclaim power dynamics and relationships, and have flipped it from a negative connotation to something powerful,” says Michie.
Not long after starting Trick the pandemic hit, and they say that it has been great to “provide a safe space for creativity.” Some of their published content includes living on the margins, land defenders arrested at Mount Rushmore and adjusting to self-isolation. The three-person team hopes to build up funding, create a print issue and host events in the future.
Trick has been showing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement by compiling resources, petitions, bail funds and reading material on their website and social media. In order to uplift the voices of this movement, they made a submission call specifically for Black and Indigenous creators.
NOT RYERSON AFFILIATED, BUT BORN IN CLASS AND TAKEN OFF
Publications can come and go at Ryerson, often born out of great ideas but not always sticking around.
In RSJ’s magazine editing workshop, students form original ideas for a new magazine. One of those ideas in 2004 took shape and resulted in Shameless, a grassroots magazine for feminist teens to be politically outspoken, founded by journalism students Melinda Mattos and Nicole Cohen.
Mattos had wanted to create a magazine that would have empowered herself as a teenager.
“I had spent so many hours in high school poring over glossy magazines like YM and Seventeen, searching for relatable content that simply wasn't there,” says Mattos in an email. “There were plenty of tips on choosing the right lipstick or getting boys to notice you, but I was more interested in activism, alternative music, books and big ideas.”
The duo presented the concept to industry experts during class who liked the idea too.
“I remember walking out of class that day and immediately turning to Nicole and saying, "We need to do this for real!" Honestly, it seems so ridiculously ambitious in retrospect — we were 23, just graduating from university, had no funding and no idea how to run a magazine — but somehow we figured it all out.”
They raised $5,000 for their first issue back in 2004 through hosting dance parties, literary events and even operating a kissing booth.
“I'm not sure if this is cynical or just realistic, but I'm reluctant to encourage anyone to launch a magazine these days… I think you'd need a more sophisticated business plan in 2020,” says Mattos.
The co-founders have since stepped back, but not before the magazine evolved as a non-profit organization and with a strong diverse female masthead. Shameless typically publishes three times a year with issues appearing in bookstores across Canada, and has won several awards.
Did we miss a publication? Do you know of a historical publication we should write about? Let us know at office.journalism@torontomu.ca!
Logos from (left to right) Trick, Folio, Unaffliated Press, New Wave, The Canada Files and Over the Line Sports.