In a column included in the Northern Star’s “Orientation” issue in June, I wrote about how the newspaper has helped shape my college career, and how it hopefully has or will become a part of your daily routine at NIU.

I still believe those sentiments from that column; three months isn’t long enough to change one’s mind drastically. However, instead of breaking down why I feel the Star is important (daily source of news, gets students involved and informed, etc.), or how you can join our staff (apply online or in the Campus Life Building), I have decided to take this opportunity to discuss the upcoming semester.

For over 100 years, there has been a student publication on campus reporting the news. However, what is considered “news” is changing as fast as the news itself. Thus, the Star is in a unique position to be an informative outlet as well as a source of entertainment.

This idea of convergence was one of the primary reasons we created NS*Radio, an online-only radio station and the only student-run radio station on campus. Instead of just trying to get you to tune in from your computer via our Web site (www.nsradio.com), we’re encourage people to get involved. We will be broadcasting from sporting contests, other remote events and always filling the Internet waves with a variety of specialty and rotation programs. Also, this year we have switched the station’s focus to bring you live deejays almost around the clock – dozens of positions are still available.

Yet the focus of any news outlet should be to inform first, entertain later. With a shrinking demographic of daily news readers, the lines of how to inform have been blurred recently. Studies show the average person reads newspapers for less than 30 minutes a day, and peers in our age group read a paper for only a third of that. Now, I’m a journalist and have a tendency to turn ill at the thought of doing any sort of math, but even I can figure out that equals 10 minutes a day.

The question at the Star this year is how can we relate to a population with a shrinking interest in the daily events that shape all our lives? As we search for an answer I urge you all to offer any sort of advice.

We always accept story ideas, tips and constructive criticism from our readers. After all, who are we to tell you what your interests are? Hence, one of our main focuses this year will be to create transparency in our newsroom. One critique of newspapers worldwide is that readers have no understanding of how or why stories are slotted and covered in a particular manor. Be on the lookout this semester for several changes involving the Northern Star and reader understanding of our publication.

The best newspapers are active in the community which they cover, but the best communities are active in the newspaper covering them.

With this in mind, enjoy your semester and I look forward to myself and our staff bringing you accurate, unbiased news coverage.