Journalism, Activism, Alternative Media: The Link and McGill Daily, 2000-2010

Student newspapers, as a subject unto themselves, have in the past generated very little scholarly examination, particularly in Canada. However, the author argues that such publications are a unique site where students can engage in the production of publications with significant reach, assisted by the particular institutional arrangements that characterize these papers. He points out that student journalists in such a position may seek to articulate journalistic identities, practices, ideals and standards that are distinct from mainstream journalism (and which take up a progressive political mission or activist' orientation). The author examines two Montreal English-language student newspapers which have historically sought to fulfill a mission as politically-engaged publications, Concordia University's "The Link" and McGill University's "The McGill Daily", for the period of reference 2000-2010, with particular respect to the ways in which the content of the two newspapers and reflections of student editors describe how they negotiate their particular social positioning (including tensions between professional- and activist-orientations to their work as journalists). In pursuing this examination, the author examines self-representations (in print) of the respective papers' histories, their involvement with and interventions in Canadian University Press, incidents of media critique directed at mainstream media, the ethical and normative journalistic standards described in guiding documents and by writers and interviewees, cases of change or acute tension with regard to professional- and activist-orientations, and coverage of anti-globalization and anti-police brutality protest events are discussed, tracing a selective history of the publications examined.

Master's Thesis

Concordia University

Montreal

2010

vi-325p.

en