Graphic by Quill Nishi-Leonard ’27 via Canva
By Jo Elliott ’28 and Abby Paull ’28
News Editor & Staff Writer
“Why isn’t anyone talking?” This is the question many frustrated journalists ask when trying to get people on the College’s campus to interview.
Throughout the many articles we’ve worked on as active journalists, interviews are the hardest part of the process in writing an article and maintaining its journalistic integrity. It often requires searching and scourging on campus to find willing people to express their opinions for the paper. I find it difficult at the end of the day to do my due diligence as a reporter to write about a story in process when there is no one to express their opinion on how they feel and how this issue is affecting them.
This is a very common problem that many of our fellow staff reporters face when it comes time to write for the News. Many articles rely heavily on the contributions of students, staff and community members to construct the narrative about what is happening in our community. They are the backbone to many of the sections such as news or features, where we are actively seeking that output to make stories relatable to campus. Integrating community feedback is necessary to make change in the overall environment of the College. Though our general approach can understably come off initially as headstrong, the opinion we look for is to contribute to a greater understanding, not harsh or cruel gossip.
A general misconception I often hear about MHN is that we are more often than not associated with gossip. Some believe that our organization seeks to spread lies and slander to purposefully ruin the reputation of individuals, administrators, or event organizers so that they will cease operations. However, I feel the need to address this large misconception, as it is a barrier that separates the College’s newspaper from the greater community.
We can theorize that this animosity and hesitancy in general may be a result of the current climate we’re living in, especially many now skeptical of what to share and not to share in a society that values gossip and slander. I have taken it upon myself to interview two Mount Holyoke students about this subject.
When asked about students’ thoughts on the Mount Holyoke News generally, Fiona Heller ’28 said, “I don't think the news represents our school in the most truthful light possible.”
In regards to MHN’s biweekly publishing of a physical newspaper, Mia Lederer ’28 had to say, "I'm sure some people out there believe that a physical newspaper is old school in our current digital era.” This reflects a lot of the current state of the world when media that is consumed physically is considered out of date.
When I asked the students about what may deter them from interviewing for the News, Heller had to say, “I think that a lot of Mount Holyoke students are afraid to have their name attached to something that might impact them socially or lead to them being treated differently by staff members or Administrators.”
This is a point I want to continue with. The fear of association seems to lead a lot of students to not want to speak with the News. It is a fear that reflects the general culture with the student body, where many don’t want to be associated with something that could harm them in the future.
When asked this same question, Lederer had to say, “Maybe it's an issue of timing? It can be tricky to immediately see the value of doing a news interview amidst a busy schedule of competing priorities.”
This is another variable that adds to the lack of participation in the student news. It’s a combination of fear of speaking out and a rigorous academic career that leads to no room really to engage with the News.
Quill Nishi-Leonard ’27 contributed fact-checking.
