Oct. 1 through the 7, 2023 marks the 83 National Newspaper Week. The purpose of the celebration, sponsored by Newspaper Association Managers, is to take a week out of the year to promote and drive home the importance of local newspapers across the United States and Canada.

This applies to student newspapers as well. Campuses across the nation are viewed by those who are and have been a part of them as a community. A student newspaper’s job is to inform that community of what is happening.

The theme this year is “In Print. Online. For You. #NewspapersYourWay.” This tagline drives home the fact that newspaper readers are from all generations, community leaders and voters consumed in many different mediums.

A 2023 study conducted for America’s Newspapers shows that Americans are hungry for reliable, accurate local news and information. The study by Coda Ventures found that 8 out of 10 Americans still get news and information from a local print or digital source.

Nearly 75% of respondents confirmed that a local newspaper is important and 43% said local newspapers or their websites were the most accurate source for news and information.

“Local news is critical to the well-being of a community,” The author of the study wrote.

In the survey of 5,000 people, those who are 39 and younger listed social media as the No. 1 way they prefer to access news along with news websites and email alerts.

Here at the Collegian, we strive to give the campus community accurate and timely reporting, providing students with what they need to know and want to know. From in-depth coverage of the Students’ Association to telling the stories of students and athletes that may otherwise go unnoticed, this local news source is a vital part of the campus community and the city of Brookings as a whole.

So, as National Newspaper Week concludes, pass along the paper to a friend or a colleague to support the work the Collegian does for this campus.