Why should you read The Fordham Ram? Really. For many people our age, social media has become the place to receive news. It’s now possible to hear about events worldwide instantaneously through platforms like TikTok, Instagram and X. If something happens on campus, one of the popular Fordham-themed accounts will usually be the first place a student finds out. A large part of the Ram’s identity is print journalism, which is a form of media that has been dying in recent years. One-third of newspapers have closed since 2005, and the trend is not slowing down. If you only focus on the Ram’s printed pages, it would make sense to dismiss us as an old-fashioned way to get the news. But we reject that idea. Our paper and Fordham’s other student publications offer something unique that no other news organization has — the perspective of Fordham students.

Readers of the Ram receive news stories shaped by the perspective of students. Each news organization, national or local, has a different focus. Newspapers like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal focus on national issues. You can trust them to report on events, and you can be confident that they will deliver insightful perspectives on issues impacting most American citizens such as national politics and the economy. However, these organizations aren’t designed to offer the local perspective of a community. As a result, the nuances of issues important to a smaller community can get lost in national news organizations’ coverage of an event. This discrepancy highlights the significance that strong local media outlets play in a healthy media ecosystem. Local media with deep roots in a community allows the community members to participate in writing their own stories and sharing their perspectives. 

Readers can see this when looking through the pages of our newspaper. Our articles are pitched by editors and written by writers who are currently Fordham students. Our experiences as community members shape our ideas for the stories we want to tell that give insight to the Fordham community. When we publish news stories on issues like Fordham’s guest policy or the college protests in the spring, those are written by members of our community. These writers go around our campus and talk to administration, faculty and students, reporting the full story. We also strive to provide the Fordham perspective in other sections like Opinion, Culture and Sports because students deserve a place to share their thoughts on issues they care deeply about. Other great student organizations like the Fordham Observer, the Paper and WFUV provide a similar way for students to share their perspectives. They all bring equally valuable voices to the table at Fordham, and we are proud to be part of the student media community with them.

But there is more we can do. Our relationship with the media is rapidly changing, and the Ram shouldn’t be content sticking with tradition. We will continue to prioritize adapting to the digital age to match the speed of our newer digital counterparts. We also want to ensure that all members of the Fordham community know that their unique voices are not only wanted but needed. If you have wanted to contribute to the Ram in the past but never have, this is the time to do it. Your valuable insights on the world are what make our Opinion, Culture and Sports sections vibrant spaces for community conversation.

There is a reason why student media is the first editorial of the fall semester. We are living through a unique time as a community. A new university president is settling into her role and defining her vision for Fordham. Protests enveloped campuses across the country during the spring semester and have brought the conversation about campus speech to the forefront of people’s minds. The chaotic events of the 2024 election have brought a feeling of uncertainty, which is at the back of many students’ minds this semester. To sum it all up, history is happening before our eyes. At times like this, The Fordham Ram and other student media outlets’ unique perspectives, as well as Fordham students and members of the community, are required. Sometimes people in positions of power may feel uncomfortable with our coverage, especially in tense times like this. However, student media organizations’ coverage is necessary on campus because no other organizations can give insight into student perspectives the way we can. So this semester, we ask all members of the Fordham community to add student media to your daily news diet. Hopefully, by doing this you get a greater appreciation for our wonderful Fordham community.