Speak up so we can hear you

It is a journalist's responsibility to sift through details, develop relationships and uncover potentially interesting story ideas. But no newspaper can publish stories without sources -- and that is where The Cavalier Daily's readers and critics can enter the picture.

For almost every breaking news story or sports report, there is a whistle-blower -- someone willing to step up, "do the right thing" and say something about a perceived problem or concern. Without whistle-blowers, a newspaper ceases to remain relevant and instead becomes a vehicle for press release distribution. Without someone to highlight and illuminate issues that might otherwise go under the radar -- like the disenfranchisement of minority groups or the controversial dealings of higher-ups -- the press inevitably fails to serve its readers as best it could. Sources' voices are papers' voices; if nobody is willing to say something, The Cavalier Daily generally cannot say something, or will at least continue underreporting the stories that matter.

There is good news, though. The Cavalier Daily always is actively searching for hot leads, and there are laws governing the free press that protect sources. We understand that, for the sake of truth, whistle-blowers frequently endanger their jobs and reputations. That is why papers offer anonymity, and that is why reporters can talk about issues off the record before they go on the record. The Cavalier Daily, like any respectable media publication, values our sources and strives to protect them as best we can. So, if you are upset about our coverage of an issue or if you have a story idea, speak up. Send an e-mail to editor@cavalierdaily.com or call 434-924-1082 -- because if protection is warranted, we will provide and listen, so that we can help you make a positive impact on the world. We are not looking for skeletons in closets, but we are looking to cover the stories you care about. For both papers and whistle-blowers, it's the truth that counts.

Fair, balanced and willing to hear your side of the story

Many a media organization -- The Cavalier Daily included -- has been criticized by some readers for printing stories deemed one-sided and tendentious. Before any non-editorial article is published, however, it is vetted for accuracy and fairness. If an opinion -- no matter how serious -- about an organization or person is included in an article, that organization or person must have a chance to respond to those allegations or offer an opposing/different view. Because this is the case, writers are specifically instructed early in their college journalism careers to contact "all sides," for the sake of crafting the most balanced story possible. And after a writer turns in his or her story, the article is subject to a thorough and comprehensive review by a section editor, a copy editor, an assistant managing editor, the managing editor and the editor-in-chief. The lengthy process is meant to ensure quality and consistency in terms of writing, style, reporting veracity and -- you guessed it -- bias (which is to say, of course, a lack of bias).
That being said, when The Cavalier Daily makes a dutiful effort to contact a source and/or offers an adequate response time, and that source either declines to comment or proves unavailable to comment, it falls to the discretion of the editor-in-chief and the paper's current managing board to make a decision whether to print the story as is -- without inclusion of that source's unvoiced opinions. If a story is deemed relevant or conducive to the paper's goals and mission, the article may be published and the lack of comment disclosed.
Still, just because we COULD publish a slightly imbalanced article does not mean we SHOULD. Obviously, there are times when it becomes necessary to take this approach, but such an option should be the last and least desired one. Know, then, that if a member of The Cavalier Daily contacts you about a story, chances are that it is not because he or she wants to subject you to intense questioning or unfair scrutiny -- it is that he or she simply desires for you to tell your side of the story and provide a different perspective about it, so that we can continue producing high-quality content that is both insightful and fair to all parties involved.

UBE Elections Supplement

It may not be as glitzy as the Super Bowl – or even the recently completed Cavalier Daily elections – but our University Board of Election supplement has become an annual feature appreciated by students and local community members invested in the future of student self-governance at the University. This year, by once again partnering with UBE, we will be able to deliver the most in-depth analysis of races as they take shape. We also will be able to present candidates' responses to selected questions, so as to better inform our readers before they head to the polls about the University's future student leaders. With a variety of changes to election procedures on tap for 2009, look for The Cavalier Daily to break down the information you need to know if you intend to vote. Expect the issue to hit newsstands Monday, Feb. 16 – the day polls open – and visit www.uvavote.com for more information (including the complete schedule of events) about the upcoming University-wide elections.

A Day in the Life of an Article

Ever wonder how the article on the front page of The Cavalier Daily got there? How the recap of the basketball game that ended at 11 p.m. the night before is waiting for you in print before your early morning class?
Each article goes through a number of editing steps in order to ensure it's fit to print. First, a writer is assigned a story idea. A writer may be investigating a faculty grant, a new music album, a student group or a sports event, among other subjects. After completing the necessary interviews and writing the article, the writer works through the article with his or her section editor. At this stage, editors help writers make sure their articles have transitions, an interesting introduction, balanced viewpoints and a solid closing paragraph.

The article is then sent to the copy editors, who check each fact in the article from Sylven Landesburg's latest scoring total to the names of student sources. The copy-editors also work to make Cavalier Daily style consistent throughout the article. Once they have completed their job, the article is sent to the assistant managing editor.

The AME reads each article and focuses on its overall structure and flow while also considering transitions and whether the article provides all the information necessary for readers.
Almost ready for print, the article is then sent along to the managing editor who reads every article in each issue except for opinion columns. The managing editor considers all the different components each editing step has worked on throughout the day and makes any final edits to the article.
Finally, the editor-in-chief reads the article for libel concerns and the production team lays out the article on the page with photos and graphics. The page is then sent to the printer and the next issue of The Cavalier Daily is delivered hot off the press, waiting for you on your way to class. Enjoy!

Website woes

In today's rapidly changing media landscape, a functional Web site capable of delivering relevant information to readers is nearly as vital to a newspaper as the newsprint stories and editorials are printed on. That's why The Cavalier Daily transitioned to a new Web site last fall, and that's why hundreds of other media organizations have invested thousands of dollars in the development and publication of so-called "new media." But what happens when a Web site designed to enhance readers' experiences and improve the generation of online content instead ends up creating a host of unforeseen complications? That's precisely what happened with the new CavalierDaily.com. Coding problems, server problems and several other unexpected setbacks have delayed various new media projects and caused difficulty for anyone trying to search through archival material normally available online. As those who attempted to visit our Web site during Winter Break might readily attest to, something needs to be fixed, and fixed soon.Good news, though, is on the horizon. The Cavalier Daily currently is working on solving its Web site dilemma and is actively thinking about bolstering its new media offerings. As we continue working to investigate and fix the technical malfunctions, we also are already planning to incorporate into our Web site additional blogs, photo slideshows, podcasts and -- potentially -- video footage. Moreover, if you have any requests or suggestions, we'd be glad to hear those ideas below. We cannot promise everything, but we can promise that we are working hard to make our Web site more functional and useful.

Changing of the Guard

As most University students know, the start of a new semester frequently brings an assortment of new challenges and unfamiliar faces. In the classroom, that often means getting acquainted with new syllabi and new professors. Post-Winter-Break in The Cavalier Daily offices, it means restarting our coverage of University and local issues and preparing for our annual staff elections.
As regular readers probably have noticed, The Cavalier Daily has gone back into production and has already printed a number of articles, covering topics ranging from Bob Barker's recent $1 million Law School donation, to the women's basketball team's success during Winter Break, to a recent Honor appeals case.
At the same time, many of those same writers and editors have been preparing for The Cavalier Daily's annual staff elections, held each January in Jefferson Hall. Staff members interested in attaining a new position at the paper have, in addition to their current duties, started "shadowing" various editors in the hope of moving up. Some election races are more contested than others, but one thing's for sure: When January 31 rolls around, and the current staff votes, the paper's new elected leaders will make every effort to continue putting out the University's only independent student paper to the best of their abilities – without losing the quality of journalism readers expect.

VPA Awards

Thursday will be the last official day of Cavalier Daily production this semester, but we're not done yet: Some members of the staff will continue to work past that date in order to prepare The Cavalier Daily's submissions for the 2008 Virginia Press Association contest.
Every year, the Virginia Press Association — of which The Cavalier Daily is a member — holds one of the largest news, editorial and photography contests in the nation. In the past, The Cavalier Daily has performed well in categories ranging from layout design to in-depth reporting, even though it competes against professional publications. Last year, The Cavalier Daily's tableau section stood out — sweeping first through third place in the critical writing category in which The Cavalier Daily competes — and several other sections also took home second or third place awards.In order to nominate the most deserving articles published by The Cavalier Daily since Jan. 1, section editors and other staff members comb through the archives to find the best articles in a variety of categories ranging from Column Writing to Sports Column Writing. Also included are a number of design and photography categories.VPA awards are judged on several qualities, depending on the category in which an entry is submitted. For example, most news articles are judged on their clarity, style, precision of vocabulary, accuracy, attribution, attention to detail and grammar, among other qualities. Each entry category has strict rules for how a publication can nominate articles, and The Cavalier Daily will do its best to see that its best articles have a chance at once again winning some of these awards.