Student journalists are receiving a real-life lesson that’s unfortunate yet becoming more common.
The press can’t be censured by the government, but the government has ways of seeking retribution against journalists.
President Donald Trump labeled the media “the enemy of the people” in 2019. Six years later, Trump continues to belittle one of the country’s most important institutions.
With the backing of Republican supermajorities in states like Indiana, the Trump administration has also waged ideological war on higher education institutions. As we witnessed with Harvard University, if higher ed doesn’t accept Trump’s demands, he threatens their funding.
THOUGH THERE hasn’t been a definitive statement from Purdue, the university recently severed its ties with the student newspaper, The Exponent. After distributing the newspaper for five decades, Purdue announced in a May 30 letter that it would cease distributing The Exponent within two days.
Purdue asserted in the letter that it was ending distribution in part to adhere to an updated policy on institutional neutrality. That’s legalese for being scared of retribution for having any real or perceived association with the student newspaper.
Exponent publisher Kyle Charters told CNHI News the new policy could cut distribution to campus locations by as much as 50%.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith harshly criticized Indiana University’s student newspaper last year. Away from campus, Trump has verbally attacked numerous media outlets while pushing to remove federal funding from NPR/PBS.
Unlike student newspapers, professional media organizations can thwart attacks by the government through paid subscriptions, advertising and other forms of revenue. Student newspapers rely heavily on their universities for support, whether it’s financial aid or assistance with distribution.
Cowering to political pressure may save funding for universities in the short-term, but it only teaches students that money is more important than truth and freedom of the press — a right protected by our constitution. In Indiana, higher ed institutions have fallen in line with state policies to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
NOW SOME are seeking to limit their own student newspapers. It’s a shame and certainly a break from the tradition of free thinking on campus — a move that may have some questioning the value of furthering their education at such institutions.
No business is perfect, and media isn’t an exception, but real journalists aren’t enemies of the people. To the contrary, they are allies of democracy and transparency.
Too many television and social media personalities have been grouped in with journalists, which is part of the problem. The lack of tolerance for differing ideas is another reason why we find ourselves in such a partisan and anti-media environment.
One of the jobs of a journalist is to hold those in power accountable, not to be cheerleaders or political activists for a cause. College newspapers are a great foundation for producing our nation’s greatest journalists — those who publish what some in power would love to keep concealed.
Hampering student journalists will hurt our country. Instead of kowtowing to politicians, universities should stand up for truth.
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