By the people, of the people, for the people.
That is how the Alligator operates. It’s how everyone should operate.
It also sounds like one of those weird chants added to the Roman Catholic Mass, but that’s beside the point.
The point is that this newspaper is all about people, and we had almost forgotten that.
When this summer started, I couldn’t see past the newsroom. I was leading an inexperienced staff that was about half the size of our Spring 2012 staff. I spent the first few weeks struggling to motivate college students who just wanted to slide into a pool.
Summer usually goes like this. We publish less, and we’re in the office less.
It would be easy to sink into an air-conditioned Alligator bubble. Fewer pages and fewer stories — no problem. Grab a milkshake, make a few phone calls, type up some stories and make it out in time to grab a couple beers before last call. Happy Monday!
But this job is about people, and we were reminded of that this summer.
We aren’t a part of the university, but we can’t exist without UF and the Gainesville communities. This is why we report, to deliver the news that affects you. We know what affects you because it affects us too. We’re also students just trying to make the most of a few years. We exist because of students who put the paper together.
But one thing we don’t remember enough is that we are made possible by the support of thousands of Gators.
You, the readers, pick up the paper, which means businesses want to advertise and fund the Alligator. Sometimes you call or email, offering suggestions, asking questions or pointing out errors.
You talk to us as we buzz around with our cameras and notepads, telling your stories. You teach us, in and out of class. You leave comments on our stories that tell us how you feel, and you make sure to get your ideas across.
In the past few weeks, you stood behind us as we fought to keep our branded orange news racks on campus. You signed our petitions, accepted our Facebook spamming, took our fliers and wrote letters of protest.
Thank you.
We were reminded of our connection at the time we needed it most. You reminded us to talk with you rather than at you.
Because of you, we didn’t get too comfortable this summer. We didn’t coast and say, “Well, the ‘real news’ starts again in the fall.” We responded to UF Alerts at 4 a.m., told you UF President Bernie Machen is stepping down and shared stories of the Gators we lost.
At a time when journalism is moving online and the world is questioning the role of newspapers, everyone is threatened by anonymity. Our readers were becoming the number of “hits” on our website, and we were becoming The Media. We were drifting.
Let’s not be like that.
We’re people, too. We hit the snooze button, enjoy good pizza and frequently throw things at each other. We cry. We fall in love, or if we don’t, we make fun of our co-workers who do.
So, you and us, we should stick together. We have years ahead of us — decades, even.
This newspaper will always work hard to put out the news for you. It’s all for you. We don’t put up with late hours and tense deadlines for these paychecks that barely cover groceries.
I don’t even recognize this staff as the one I started training in May. They were young, untested and unsure. Some of them are still young, but they spent the summer telling your stories and giving you news. You asked and they delivered.
In five days, I’ll be arriving in New York City for a semester. But these hardworking staffers will still be here in the fall, ready for the “real news” and the flood of students.
We know you’re busy. We are too. But always let us know how we’re doing. Ask for a story you want to read. Tell the writers if you like their stories.
Call them, maybe.
Clare Lennon is the editor of the Independent Florida Alligator.
