Why do they still print The Observer?

Riamfada

keepkeyyellow wrote: »

No actually

aw

Gingy

The money that is given to the Observer is ridiculous. I know that their Berliner style printed in the Guardian in England looks nice but it is incredibly expensive. The Tribune is printed in Wexford at a fraction of the cost.

Have to feel a bit sorry for BelfieldFM, they have a tiny budget, get feck all support from the union and because of an alleged relationship down the students union corridor they are going to be cut off from the union.

The station needs a full time community licence, akin to UCC, NUIG, LIT etc.. to actually be a worthwhile station and the union won't agree to pay a full-time manager a decent wage to bring the station forward, eventhough the station would then be able to apply for grants and make that money back. Cork Campus Radio are coming to UCD to broadcast the Sigerson Cup in a few weeks, they successfully put in an application for €11,000, of which €9,500 is profit, absolute disgrace that BelfieldFM couldn't get that money.

errlloyd

You need to think of it this way, there are three possibilities.

A: We vote no, nothing changes.
B: We vote yes, Observer continues under the forum committee funding (like tribune).
C: We vote yes, Observer fails.

A: This is wasteful, but imo the best option. It gets too much currently but for reasons I will highlight under B, this is ok. I think a Newspaper that does try to investigate into things happening on campus to increase transparency is good. Most importantly a newspaper that tries to promote campus life is very good. Personally I have always been of the belief that the paper should always try and shine a positive light on society events, and usually I am satisfied.

B: This is interesting, because although we assume they will get less money, and although that money in essence comes from the same place. That money really is more valuable to us, not going to the observer, why? The SU can't effectively use another 50k in my opinion. The forum committee can, there are many societies who are valuable to the university currently getting funding cut. So **** it, for the simple reason that we get something useful from the SU in the shape of a paper, I say keep it!!

C: This would be a huge loss in my opinion. The whole world knows that doing a journalism degree isn't the best way into journalism, experience is. I am almost willing to treat the observer as an academic tool for its contributors, as well as a service for it's readers.

ThisIsNonsense

Gingy wrote: »

The money that is given to the Observer is ridiculous. I know that their Berliner style printed in the Guardian in England looks nice but it is incredibly expensive. The Tribune is printed in Wexford at a fraction of the cost.

Have to feel a bit sorry for BelfieldFM, they have a tiny budget, get feck all support from the union and because of an alleged relationship down the students union corridor they are going to be cut off from the union.

The station needs a full time community licence, akin to UCC, NUIG, LIT etc.. to actually be a worthwhile station and the union won't agree to pay a full-time manager a decent wage to bring the station forward, eventhough the station would then be able to apply for grants and make that money back. Cork Campus Radio are coming to UCD to broadcast the Sigerson Cup in a few weeks, they successfully put in an application for €11,000, of which €9,500 is profit, absolute disgrace that BelfieldFM couldn't get that money.

How hard is to grasp a point? The University Observer DOES NOT COST 50,000 PER YEAR, AND IT IS NOT ASSIGNED THAT AMOUNT IN THE SU BUDGET. That is simply the projected worst-case scenario if they received no advertisement revenue, which has never happened as that would mean a whole year with no ads. The Observer typically brings in 20-25,000 in advertising revenue every year

Not hiding behind a Nickname K Woods

keepkeyyellow wrote: »

No actually




I second this

Boom!

Not hiding behind a Nickname K Woods

ThisIsNonsense wrote: »

How hard is to grasp a point? The University Observer DOES NOT COST 50,000 PER YEAR, AND IT IS NOT ASSIGNED THAT AMOUNT IN THE SU BUDGET. That is simply the projected worst-case scenario if they received no advertisement revenue, which has never happened as that would mean a whole year with no ads. The Observer typically brings in 20-25,000 in advertising revenue every year

Boom!

passive

ThisIsNonsense wrote: »

How hard is to grasp a point? The University Observer DOES NOT COST 50,000 PER YEAR, AND IT IS NOT ASSIGNED THAT AMOUNT IN THE SU BUDGET. That is simply the projected worst-case scenario if they received no advertisement revenue, which has never happened as that would mean a whole year with no ads. The Observer typically brings in 20-25,000 in advertising revenue every year

So... the net profit after costs is 20-25,000? Or you mean it costs "X, FIGURE I AM NOT PROVIDING" and brings in "20-25,000 WOW LOOK AT THAT BIG NUMBER!!!!11!"

I don't really have any feelings on the whole issue, just don't like dishonest, misleading points...

BOOM!, as they say, in douchespeak...

mynameissarah

passive wrote: »

So... the net profit after costs is 20-25,000? Or you mean it costs "X, FIGURE I AM NOT PROVIDING" and brings in "20-25,000 WOW LOOK AT THAT BIG NUMBER!!!!11!"

I don't really have any feelings on the whole issue, just don't like dishonest, misleading points...

BOOM!, as they say, in douchespeak...

I don't think the poster was trying to be dishonest or misleading.

I think they were saying that The Observer brings in about €20-25,000 in advertising revenue, therefore if you want to estimate what it costs take that €20-25,000 from the €50,000 budget projection.

I'm going to sound like a broken record, but until we can actually look at a statement of monies spent we won't actually know what it really costs, therefore I think we should be looking at ensuring that the Union publish their accounts and not just their budget projections.

parker kent

mynameissarah wrote: »

I'm going to sound like a broken record, but until we can actually look at a statement of monies spent we won't actually know what it really costs, therefore I think we should be looking at ensuring that the Union publish their accounts and not just their budget projections.

This is the best point being made here. Anything else said is speculation and likely to be biased in one direction or the other. There cannot be a serious discussion about this if we don't actually know the facts.

I've obviously stated that I think The Observer is an important part of UCD, but it would benefit everybody if the facts were public. All SU accounts should be made public IMO.

People saying "Boom!" back and forth at each other is not really furthering any debate either. I hope that is not what we are reading in the future newspapers of Ireland!

ThisIsNonsense

parker kent wrote: »

This is the best point being made here. Anything else said is speculation and likely to be biased in one direction or the other. There cannot be a serious discussion about this if we don't actually know the facts.

I've obviously stated that I think The Observer is an important part of UCD, but it would benefit everybody if the facts were public. All SU accounts should be made public IMO.

EXCELLENT POINT

parker kent wrote: »

People saying "Boom!" back and forth at each other is not really furthering any debate either. I hope that is not what we are reading in the future newspapers of Ireland!

INSULTING POINT. "Boom" is a perfectly legitimate way of acknowledging victory.[/I][/I]

Not hiding behind a Nickname K Woods

parker kent wrote: »

People saying "Boom!" back and forth at each other is not really furthering any debate either. I hope that is not what we are reading in the future newspapers of Ireland!

Wholly agree Parker Kent.

You see I happen to know ThisIsNonsense in a real life friendship capacity and they are a frequent user of the modern day viral saying "Boom!". They are doing their best to wean themselves off the popular term and remove it from their vocabulary. Unfortunately, it seems to pop out every once and a while.

So the "Boom" reference was actually a dig at them. Apologies for the in-joke. Feel free to join the in-joke though. We are a welcoming bunch.

mynameissarah

parker kent wrote: »

This is the best point being made here. Anything else said is speculation and likely to be biased in one direction or the other. There cannot be a serious discussion about this if we don't actually know the facts.

I've obviously stated that I think The Observer is an important part of UCD, but it would benefit everybody if the facts were public. All SU accounts should be made public IMO.

You're doing fabulous things for my ego :P

But yes, I find it ludicrous that we can't discern exactly where our money is going.

parker kent

Not hiding behind a Nickname K Woods wrote: »

in a real life friendship capacity

Something we humans would call "being friends" :pac:

ThisIsNonsense

parker kent wrote: »

Something we humans would call "being friends" :pac:

BOOM! (sorry, it's impulsive)

ThisIsNonsense

Not hiding behind a Nickname K Woods wrote: »

Wholly agree Parker Kent.

You see I happen to know ThisIsNonsense in a real life friendship capacity and they are a frequent user of the modern day viral saying "Boom!". They are doing their best to wean themselves off the popular term and remove it from their vocabulary. Unfortunately, it seems to pop out every once and a while.

So the "Boom" reference was actually a dig at them. Apologies for the in-joke. Feel free to join the in-joke though. We are a welcoming bunch.

On that, a certain suit-wearer yesterday tried to claim that the saying was HIS and that I stole it from him. (I know, For Pete's Sake, right?!) Anyway, said suit-wearer acknowledged the coolness of the phrase and took back any comments against it saying that he only slatted me over it "for the lols". You have acknowledged the modern popularity of the phrase so I feel that you may be in denial of how cool use of this phrase is and that it can be use in many situations. If only the Observer would put something in O-two about it! That would change your opinion.I guess fatherhood is impeding on the life of Killian Woods so we may be left waiting a while before he persuades Alison Lee to include it in What's Hot...

parker kent

Some of these posts are reminding me of Patrick Bateman.

conor.hogan.2

I dont know why they still print this newspaper - but then again I'm not sure why they still so many other national newspapers either so.

Oasis_Dublin

conor.hogan.2 wrote: »

I dont know why they still print this newspaper - but then again I'm not sure why they still so many other national newspapers either so.

Probably because they run at a profit.

Fedup2011

Is it just me or has this gotten completely out of hand?
All the motion that is going to council on Tuesday is asking is for it to be put to the students of UCD. It doesn't seem to be any sort of plot to abolish student media... is it not just asking for the students that its written for to be given the choice?

From reading this thread it seems like there is a lot of opposition to the proposed motion which means that it the chances of it going through are probably quite slim?

I think that the Observer is an asset to UCD and I enjoy reading it, but I do find myself questioning how the Tribune can manage without any funding at all and then when the Observers budget is put under threat they publish something like they did in their latest issue. I feel it lost part of its credibility in the last issue as, in my opinion, it did not report on the facts and was totally one sided - not what a newspaper should aim to be.

I don't know, I personally hope that the motion doesn't pass but I think people need to calm down and realise that it's not actually that unreasonable to ask for it to be put to the students.

unknown13

I believe the whole Observer being SU funded argument came from the result of SU's recent student survey. I can recall a question on the lines of: "Should the Observer SU funded?".

Fad

unknown13 wrote: »

I believe the whole Observer being SU funded argument came from the result of SU's recent student survey. I can recall a question on the lines of: "Should the Observer SU funded?".

Argument has been going on on Boards and whatnot for a lot longer than Pat's survey has been around.

mynameissarah

Fedup2011 wrote: »

.

I don't know, I personally hope that the motion doesn't pass but I think people need to calm down and realise that it's not actually that unreasonable to ask for it to be put to the students.

I think you're on the money with that!

It is fair enough for it to be put to the students, however I don't think it should be put to the students without the facts.

To once again say it, I think students need to know precisely how much something costs them before they vote on a referendum; the €50,000 figure that is being thrown around is a budget projection, not actual monies spent. That's the thing I'm personally up in arms about.

I want the real figures, and not just the figures regarding The Observer. I want to know how the Union spends my money on everything they do.

Not hiding behind a Nickname K Woods

Fedup2011 wrote: »

I think that the Observer is an asset to UCD and I enjoy reading it, but I do find myself questioning how the Tribune can manage without any funding at all and then when the Observers budget is put under threat they publish something like they did in their latest issue.

If you want to seek some clarity on The College Tribune's funding read the first of nine comments posted on the following blog post.

http://r4phael.livejournal.com/49048.html

UCD

Just to let it be known. The college is currently in the process of kicking the Tribune out of their offices, due to the fact that if the Tribune were to be sued it's possible that UCD could be sued as well.

Also they're refusing to accept the office in the new Student Centre being built because they believe it would compromise their 'editorial independance.'

Riamfada

UCD wrote: »

Also they're refusing to accept the office in the new Student Centre being built because they believe it would compromise their 'editorial independance.'

I think someone needs to tell these guys that by the grace of UCD they exist. UCD will be moving everything to the new Student Center and turning every other vacated space into a computer lab most likely.

parker kent

UCD wrote: »

Just to let it be known. The college is currently in the process of kicking the Tribune out of their offices, due to the fact that if the Tribune were to be sued it's possible that UCD could be sued as well.

Also they're refusing to accept the office in the new Student Centre being built because they believe it would compromise their 'editorial independance.'

Why are they perfectly happy in one office, yet the other will compromise their editorial independence? Surely a room in a student centre (i.e paid for by the student centre levy and therefore to be used for and by students) is less at risk of compromising their independence than their current room granted to them by UCD.

They are a newspaper about UCD, where exactly do they want to be located? DCU? UCC?