With the Ontario college strike proceeding into its fifth week, Algonquin College journalism students are taking campus media coverage into their own hands.
The Algonquin Times is built into the curriculum of the journalism program at Algonquin, where second-year students submit stories for publication in return for a grade. The paper reports on campus issues and is published every three weeks.
However, several days before the strike, journalism classes were told by the Algonquin College Students’ Association to cease production out of respect for the faculty.
Devyn Barrie, a second-year journalism student at Algonquin and the campus government editor of the paper, said he and a small group of students decided to go rogue and continue publishing under the name Algonquin Timeless.
The online publication is completely volunteer-based, and is publishing content without needing the professors to oversee their work, something that Barrie said is helping them learn about the industry and understand the principles of the trade.
The Timeless has intrigued many viewers, with the WordPress site receiving over 1,400 page views on their first day alone, and maintaining a consistent viewership whenever they post a new article, Barrie said.
The publication is prioritizing coverage of all things pertaining to the strike, such as negotiation meetings, picket lines, and student voices. Barrie said he is confident that the Algonquin Timeless is meeting the needs of the viewers, as they are asking more objective and important questions than regular media.
Joe Banks, the co-ordinator of the journalism program at Algonquin, said he is proud of the work he has seen from his students. He said he acknowledges the hard work and dedication of his students to keep people informed.
Banks oversees the Algonquin Times, and said he also described himself as the editor-in-chief of the paper. He said he ensures that all things published are suitable for public consumption, and all things are factual.
“I’m proud of them,” he said. “I’m very delighted to see that they have taken everything I have said and taught previous to the strike seriously. I wish and encourage more students to take part in the Algonquin Timeless publication.”
Before the Times shut down due to the strike, Banks said he told his students: “We live in an era when anyone can be a publisher, and you guys are still learning that your voices can be heard in many other ways.”
According to Banks, the Timeless is receiving praise from other picket partners. He said they are providing news that the school does not have access to or does not have the time to develop.
Barrie said he believes that the strike has benefitted his journalism studies, as he now has “excellent experience” to add to his resume for a potential career.
“If anything, [the strike] has enhanced my program, because now we’re not being taught by teachers, we’re teaching ourselves,” he said. “There are losses, but I believe I had a lot to gain . . . it’s something I can look back on and be proud of what I did.”
