Big change at Mizzou's J-school?

Missourian people are contemplating a JOA-like agreement with the Columbia Tribune, and talks between the two could lead to anything from the Missourian going purely digital to cutting back just a few days a week.
Either way, it appears the Missourian is no longer trying to be more than a "niche" publication.

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/06/06/partnership-between-two-columbia-newspapers-could-/

 

I've long feared this would happen, and it will be a damn shame if (when) it does.

 

Great way to celebrate the J-School's 100th anniversary...

 

On the other hand, the University of Missouri, from what I've heard, is sending more people to China to cover the Olympics than 98 percent of US newspapers.

 

That is accurate to a degree.
Those students -- the one I'm close to just finished up her master's and will be one of the on-site editors -- had to pay a shit-ton of money to go over there. I'd be curious to know how much the school is paying for.

 

How in the hell can a college student pay their own way to China? Someone hit Powerball?

 

The students headed to China aren't going to cover the Olympics. They're headed to China to operate in a PR capacity, although I'm not exactly sure what it entails. And as to the Missourian's problems, this has been coming for a long time, like the linked article states. Very few people who aren't affiliated with the university view the Missourian on the same level with the Tribune...

 

The letter is addressed to "Dear Reader." I was not aware it had gotten that bad.

 

Sounds like a great opportunity.

 

I think some help from Mom and Dad is likely involved.

 

I believe Tom Warhover does a weekly "Dear Reader" column.

 

I've been told what you wrote via a PR capacity is completely untrue, and that comes from someone going as one of the on-site editors.
It's going to be more like a wire service (for "Missouri Newspaper Groups") than anything else. Maybe there are PR people going for a different operation, but they're not all going for PR.
And the person I know who is going dropped 3 Gs of her own money (she's in grad school and already worked for three years prior to that) and got a 1k scholarship. She's also paying for her own food and entertainment while she's there.