To the author of “Fed up with Universe (7/21)”:
First, it’s a campus paper.
Its primary focus is obviously going to be issues closest to home where the writers can best cover the beat.
There are plenty of other news sources covering national stories. Pasting a widely available Associated Press piece above the front page fold is usually not the best use of space.
You can find brief reviews of major national/international stories on Page 2.
Second, it’s a finite paper.
The editors who write the frequent viewpoints for the opinion page can’t cover everything with their remarks, so they have to choose something relevant and interesting to their readers.
In your example, I guess Harry Potter won. Enjoy the read and be glad it’s there at all.
If you’re dissatisfied, I hear BYU offers a full money-back guarantee on each issue.
Third, it’s a learning ground paper.
Of course the folks who write the articles, columns and features aren’t “real” journalists: they’re still in school learning their trade, just like you and me.
Engineering students do engineering homework and projects.
Music performance students practice a lot and perform in concerts.
Journalism students write articles and work on the school paper.
It’s not going to be professional quality all of the time — but neither is your schoolwork.
Since you’ve sworn in your wrath you’ll never pick up a copy of the Universe again, you probably won’t read this.
But to everyone else, I say: enjoy this award-winning school paper and appreciate it for what it is, an excellent journalism training ground that just happens to be freely available for all of us to enjoy.
Walter Fazio
Moscow, Idaho
