Who Controls Content Decisions? External Influences on College Media

Abstract

Issues of censorship in higher education student media are common and frequent, however it is unclear how often and to what degree college newspapers experience external influences. This study examines censorship in collegiate media through in-depth interviews with student newspaper editors and advisers. Specifically, this study calls upon the recalled experiences of editors and advisers to explore external content pressures, from whom those pressures are felt, and how editors and advisers deal with those pressures. It then identifies some recommendations for organizations to implement to protect editors and student reporters from external pressures.