Meet the candidates running to be editor of The Gryphon

If you’re at Leeds Uni, you could be forgiven for thinking there’s only one quality student news outlet in town and everything else is #fakenews. And you’re probably right, but that’s not the whole story.

Here at The Tab, we like to think of The Gryphon as our slightly more serious, slightly less attractive older brother. Much like the Bloods and Crips (and other healthy rivalries), we’ve spent many years locking horns and engaging in a bitter turf war for the hearts and minds of Leeds students.

But every so often it’s important to acknowledge what we have in common, which is: a belief in the power of student journalism as a means of speaking truth to power, amplifying the voice of students and shitting on Manchester Uni.

These are the candidates hoping to win your vote and become editor of The Gryphon:

Reece Parker – Third year, English Literature 

What role should student journalism play, and what do you think are some of the biggest challenges it faces at the moment?

Student journalism should fulfil different roles dependent on whether it is affiliated with a student union or not. The Tab, for example, is independent from universities and thus should produce pieces which focus upon universal student culture and lifestyle, which it does very well. Papers affiliated with universities however should hold their respective university and union accountable for the decisions they make and the impact this has on the student body. Perhaps the biggest threat facing student journalism at the moment is the struggle to incorporate the whole spectrum of debates which currently concern universities whilst remaining fair and impartial. For example, when debating whether to disaffiliate from the NUS, it is important student journalistic outlets reflect both sides of this debate, otherwise they risk setting an agenda and being overly dogmatic.

Is there a future for print journalism, and how important do you think it is that The Gryphon continues to publish in paper form?

I believe there is certainly a future for print journalism. Many readers, myself included, still enjoy the actual act of reading a newspaper and I believe this allure will stand the test of time. For The Gryphon to regain its appeal in this form we require a restyle, we require fresh new ideas, we require a genuine reason for people to pick up and read. I am the editor who can deliver this.

How would you get more people to read the Gryphon?

Many students who arrive at The University of Leeds know what The Tab is before The Gryphon. This then becomes their go-to website for campus news throughout their time here. This worries me. If elected editor, I will deliver The Gryphon into every flat in student halls from the first week of term. People will then begin to use the paper for their campus news, and the online presence will grow organically through this. I also seek to provide more quality content which appeals to our student body.

What are some of your other policies?

I will give columns to our student exec. This will be an efficient way for them to communicate how they are achieving their promises to the student body. It would also hold them accountable for any failure to achieve their goals.

I will fight passionately against injustices against our student body perpetrated by our university. Huge resistance needs to be given when they make decisions such as refusing to divest from fossil fuels following a campus vote, as well as the further raising of tuition fees.

We have a huge issue with representation in The Gryphon, with low involvement from BME students , LGBTQ+ students , religious groups, and the disabled community. This worries me. If elected editor I’d like to invite members of such groups into the office, giving them a space in the paper to communicate what they need from their university, and to celebrate the achievements of their communities. If those involved enjoy these sessions, I will encourage them to become more involved with the paper.

What’s your favourite thing about The Tab?

Let’s just say I was fond of a prank in my first year…

You can read Reece’s manifesto here.

Mark McDougall – Fourth year, MA in Writing for Performance and Publication 

What role should student journalism play, and what do you think are some of the biggest challenges it faces at the moment?

Student journalism is a great way to engage students in extracurricular activity. It helps you to gain new skills and allows you to work with like-minded people . For me, I started writing in 2nd year. Student journalism is quite a far distance from my undergraduate degree of Theatre and Performance but this has really help to shape my career goals. Student journalism makes you realise you what you are capable of achieving by trying new things and this is something which is important for any student as it is the most important point in your life where you can try new things and figure out who you are in more depth. The main challenge is diversity. It can be easy to become stuck in a bubble but this is one of the main thing I hope to sort out by appealing to a wider range of students so that the platform which The Gryphon represents can be truly used to its maximum potential.

Is there a future for print journalism, and how important do you think it is that The Gryphon continues to publish in paper form?

Absolutely. The main challenge now, which is a very exciting which we have started to do this year is to expand the platform which The Gryphon represents. By enhancing online content and connecting to our print content and by collaborating with other societies, technology becomes interdisciplinary rather than threatening. We will continue this and if elected, I will be pushing to host more events and showcases which will further combine the factors which will make The Gryphon strong while maintaining the print journalism element.

How would you get more people to read The Gryphon?

By continuing the development of our already thriving online presence and through collaborating with more societies, Check out our new radio show on LSR, ‘GrryphON Air’ Mondays at 12pm to experience the first of what will be many ways to attract more readers and involvement for The Gryphon.

What are some of your other policies?

My other main policies surround community and culture. Getting The Gryphon out of the student bubble and getting involved with local organisations, businesses and charities as a way to really make the most of our time in Leeds. It’s a great city and with the preparations of the culture capital bid, it’s only going to get more exciting so we need to be out there in the community and engaging with the culture as much as we need to be spending time on campus too.

What’s your favourite thing about The Tab?

Art’s Boozenight.

You can read Mark’s manifesto here.

James Candler – Third year, English Literature 

What role should student journalism play, and what do you think are some of the biggest challenges it faces at the moment?

Student journalism has an incredibly important part to play, in terms of giving students a voice, and accurately representing their foremost concerns; informing them of the issues that affect them the most. Additionally, it also allows students to explore their passion for journalism, and develop their skills in a safe and welcoming environment. The biggest challenge to student journalism right now is the struggle to stay relevant in a world of fake news and endlessly available content. However, this is something I feel we can overcome by effectively communicating with all students, as well as harmonising our online and print platforms, to ensure that they both inform, advertise, and reflect one another.

Is there a future for print journalism, and how important do you think it is that The Gryphon continues to publish in paper form?<

I strongly believe that there is a future in print journalism. Print journalism serves as a bastion of integrity and reliability in these turbulent times. The key is to embrace the emergence of online news, in a way that strengthens our print platform. To give you an example, I suggest breaking stories online before directing readers to Friday’s print edition for a more in depth analysis. Additionally, we could run a features or views piece and then direct readers to the website for an article with an opposing viewpoint.

How would you get more people to read The Gryphon?

I would get more people to read The Gryphon by effectively implementing my four main policies: Expanding the sports section in terms of writers and pages to ensure the loyal readership of our sports societies, achieving harmony between our online and print platforms, actively seeking to survey and talk to all members of our student community to ensure they are accurately represented, and maintaining our reputation for quality journalism with things like high-profile interviews and relevant comment pieces.

What’s your favourite thing about The Tab?

My favourite things about the tab are the pieces on Leeds nightlife. Always great tongue-in-cheek fun, and always alarmingly relevant.

You can read James’ manifesto here