The Torch Newspaper

[RedStormNC]

Mods - if this breaks any rules please delete.  I'm not affiliated with the paper
i never realized the Torch was independent and not funded by school.

https://donorbox.org/the-torch

The Torch is St. John’s University’s only award-winning independent student newspaper. It is a weekly newspaper with five sections, and has been around for 98 years.

The Torch is independent, meaning that it is funded only by donations and advertisements (not by the University or any single entity). This keeps us free from censorship. However, if people do not advertise in our newspaper or on our site, we print the paper at a deficit.

Prior to the pandemic, the Torch printed 500 copies of each issue, for about 9 issues a semester. In Fall 2019, the 97th editorial board inherited a debt they were not prepared for, and due to these circumstances, as well as health concerns raised by the pandemic, the Torch was forced to go digital last year.The print newspaper is in high demand from students, faculty and administration -- we need your help to return to printing.

Any donation helps to remove the debt to our printing company and keep the Torch in print for 100 years or more

Keep the Torch free. Keep the Torch independent. #KeeptheTorchLit.

 

[beast of the east]

The Torch was a recognized student organization for years, and received a budget allocation from student fees as administered by student government.  I don't know when the break occurred that caused the Torch to become entirely independent.    Does anyone here know?

 

 

[RedStormNC]

Wikipedia states

"Founded in 1922, and published in 1925, the paper had shifted in and out of financial control of the University before ultimately being fully independent since 1980."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Torch_(St._John%27s_University)

 

[beast of the east]

Wikipedia states

"Founded in 1922, and published in 1925, the paper had shifted in and out of financial control of the University before ultimately being fully independent since 1980."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Torch_(St._John%27s_University)

I'm not sure the timelines are correct, but that explains it.   Also not sure if they have a faculty moderator, which I believe they did when under university oversight.    They are by far not the only university where a newspaper is independent.   However, most schools to my knowledge have an official newspaper that the university has some oversight of editorial content.   To my knowledge, for example, Boston College has an official university sanctioned newspaper called "The Heights", and as many as 8 other digital papers that are completely independent of the university.    It's been said that students read the independent papers, notably the BC Gavel, and not The Heights so much (which is found all over campus).

I would just advise that if you are considering supporting The Torch with donations that you find the content and tone agreeable to your tastes.    I'm not sure if we have a journalism major, but reading The Torch, would hope that many of the contributors or editors were at least English majors if not journalism.