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Bournemouth University has launched its first hyperlocal news website, run entirely by students from across the media school. STANDF1RST is an online-only campus news magazine, covering news, events and interviews from within the university community.

The project launched on Friday with three pilot 'editions' planned for the summer, before an official launch in the new academic year with plans to publish new material each week.

Most of the writers come from the university's BA Communication and Media degree, as well as some Multimedia Journalism and Computer Animation students.

Co-supervisor Chindu Sreedharan said the aim is to give a platform to all media related students who want to get into journalism.

"This is something I have been thinking about for almost a year now," he told Journalism.co.uk. "BACOM students don't do as much journalism as BAMMJ students, but they have an Internet Communication unit. This will give them a chance to get published in this way. It is about using student power and creating a magazine about harnessing citizen journalism on campus. Everybody is getting to work on a project which is live and giving students an opportunity to use their skills."

The university already produces a number of print publications, including the Wire newspaper , run by students on the Multimedia Journalism course and Nerve magazine. But Sreedharan felt it was important for students to gain practical experience of online publishing and that there was a gap for a news magazine to be created.

He also said the university needed a platform to publish campus based news, rather than just the wider topics already covered by current university products.

"We decided to use this summer to launch it and see what response we get. There are so many good things happening in the media school that don't quite get covered. Expect good features, interviews and columns. More considered reporting and less breaking news - that’s the plan for the pilot year anyway."

One of the launching features includes the first half of an in-depth interview with controversial vice chancellor Paul Curran, as he prepares to leave his role at the university.

Curran fell out of favour with some members of the BU community after announcing a series of staff cuts, prompting student protests.

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Written by
Rachel Bartlett

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