UCLA’s seven student identity-based newsmagazines will not
put out their quarterly online and print publications from the
production room editors had initially expected to use.
The five-computer production room shared last year by Fem,
al-Talib, La Gente, Ten Percent, Pacific Ties, Nommo and
Ha’am is now home to UCLAtv after last year’s economic
downturn left Student Media with a $109,271 deficit, forcing
management to consolidate space.
The newsmagazine editors understand that everyone in Student
Media has to deal with fewer resources in difficult financial
times, said al-Talib editor Bilal Khan, a fourth-year computer
science student.
What upset them more than the loss of their production space was
that they found out about the move after it had already
happened.
Carribean Fragoza, editor of La Gente, said she was surprised to
find her office smelly and in disarray when she returned to school
after finals week spring quarter.
Student Media management added an extra computer to six of the
seven newsmagazines’ offices to ease possible production
difficulties, but in La Gente’s case, to make space for the
computer someone unplugged a refrigerator that leaked all over the
floor.
“I was upset because someone was in the office moving
stuff everywhere,” the fourth-year Chicano/a studies and
comparative literature student said, adding she could have made
room herself if notified earlier.
Student Media Director Arvli Ward said he gave the editors
sufficient notice through a June 20 e-mail before any major moving
efforts were made, but many of the editors said the move was a
surprise.
Student Media is a self-supporting entity and is composed of the
Daily Bruin, BruinLife yearbook, the seven news magazines, UCLAtv,
and the KLA radio station.
Eighty-nine percent of Student Media’s revenues come from
Daily Bruin advertising sales, Ward said. On average, roughly 8
percent of that money subsidizes the newsmagazines.
Ward said since the department doesn’t receive any
university funds, when times are tough, belts have to be tightened,
as they would have to be at a regular business.
Also, because of the unpredictable advertising market, student
media has to be careful, Ward said, adding that planning for its
long-term financial stability required decisions that could upset
some in the short-term.
UCLAtv’s previous location was returned to the Associated
Students of UCLA ““ which rents space to Student Media ““
saving student media about $15,000 in rent, plant maintenance, and
utility fees, Ward said.
Mahmud Penjwini, chair of the ASUCLA Communications Board
““ which oversees publishing, management and operation of all
Student Media and is composed of student, alumni, professional and
faculty representatives ““ said UCLAtv’s move and the
Newsmagazines’ consequential displacement was “not
favorable, but nonetheless necessary.”
Student Media’s 2002-2003 budget, approved by the board in
April, included information about Student Media discontinuing use
of UCLAtv’s old room, but not specifics regarding the move
into the newsmagazines’ publishing room.
Since the new editors were chosen in May and June, there was
little opportunity to meet with them about the UCLAtv move, Ward
said.
The newsmagazine editors signed a letter stating their concern
about not being notified in advance.
The letter ““ accompanied by an additional letter of
support signed by numerous Daily Bruin senior staffers, including
the entire editorial board ““ was presented to the board
during its September meeting.
After adding an extra computer in each office, Ward plans to
furnish an existing cubicle area with four more computers to share.
These additions raise the total number of newsmagazine computers
from 12 to 18.
Even with the communication confusion, many are confident the
reorganization will have few negative consequences after people get
used to it.
“The priority is for students to maintain their
voice,” Penjwini said. “This won’t be reflected
in the quality and production of programs,” he added.