Throughout history, journalism that embraces discomfort has been instrumental in catalyzing societal change. From the 1920s muckrakers advancing social justice by exposing wealth inequality to 1970s reporters bringing government corruption to light during the Watergate scandal, journalism has proved essential to our society’s pursuit of truth, integrity and justice. By giving a voice to people who wouldn’t otherwise have one, journalism is one of our most powerful tools.
This year, we as editors-in-chief are committed to pursuing courageous journalism. We will not back down from controversy and hard-hitting subject matter because we recognize its importance – not only to maintain the respect of our peers, but also to shine light on what matters in our community. Reporting courageously means pitching stories not everyone will agree with. It means reaching out to people we are not familiar with for interviews. It means making a conscious effort to uplift underrepresented voices from all corners of the community. As part of our efforts to encourage well-rounded viewpoints, we will welcome voices from outside of our staff into every issue of the paper. By including Op-Eds from the broader school community and introducing more freelance writers, we hope to create a paper that reflects the views of our entire community.
We want to not only be the organization that the community relies on for accurate information, but also one people can go to to learn new things, be surprised and hear ideas and perspectives they have not been exposed to before. By thinking outside the box, we will be a publication that exemplifies both the technical competence that builds our audience’s trust and the creativity that keeps them coming back month after month. In the context of a newspaper targeted at a school community, it is especially important to encourage critical thinking, allowing us to inspire our readers to form their own opinions by producing content that embraces multiple perspectives and, when appropriate, respectful disagreement.
In a time of intense global polarization, it is more critical than ever to report an unbiased narrative that covers all sides of the story. We encourage our reporters to interview sources of a variety of ages, genders and backgrounds. We are committed to listening and learning from each other so that we can be a voice that accurately represents the diversity of our community. This mindset not only drives high-quality journalism but also challenges the reporters themselves, pushing them to get outside their comfort zones, build their skill sets and cultivate resilience. As a student-run paper, one of the primary goals of The Chronicle is fostering growth and learning within our staff.
The Chronicle is a newspaper, but it is also what we believe to be one of the most tight-knit communities within the school. The work that we do is entirely dependent on the ability of our staff to work together, show up for one another and be dedicated to achieving a common goal. This paper is excellent because of the loyalty of each staff member – the ones who willingly spend their Saturdays in Weiler Hall and take on articles without being asked. Without the strength and trust we’ve built within our own community, our paper cannot run efficiently and effectively.
Our staff is not expected to be perfect, and neither is every article we produce, but we do expect every single member of The Chronicle to pursue truth and objectivity wholeheartedly and to be diligent members of our staff.
