Zephyrus Response

For the most part, I enjoyed reading this edition of the newspaper Zephyrus but there was some things that I believe could have been altered to make the paper more interesting. To begin, the story which was above the fold on the front page called, " MNDOT introduces the initial designs for the new I-35W bridge" is technically news but I felt that the issues surrounding the event of the bridge collaspe would be a story that would be near the end of the paper. I feel as if the front page story should be one that really reaches out and touches the reader and this one just made me say "oh, cool..." and I proceeded to flip through the rest of the newspaper to see what else it consisted of. I think that if a story like the one entitled, "You might get jacked" would be more fitting for the front page above the fold because it relates more closely to the students and would successfully answer the question that journalists often use to determine if something is news: "who cares?" Although, the story above the fold didn't satisfy what i thought should have been in that location of Zephyrus, I felt the story below the fold was in perfect placement. "Lend a hand this Thanksgiving" was well placed in the paper because it informs the student body about a way to give to the community around Edina and the opportunity can be seen more easily since it is on the font page.

I liked the fact that in the "features" section they asked a question that would spark students' humor senses to come out . This is always fun to see because of the humor aspect in these blurb -like questions. A "Teenage Zephyrus Date" was also something I found to be quite entertaining. The Zephyrus staff does a good job of entertaining their student body but the thing that contradicts so much with the material we learn in class is the Zephyrus staff writers' subjectivity. For example, "English courses often controlled by females while many males shrink from discussions and participation..." wheres the facts? the proof? there isn't really any. I feel they really don't do a strong job of remaining completley objective. But because they are subjective at times, they recieve feedback from their audience, and that is exactly what they want because that means people are actually taking the time to read their articles. For example, In class we discussed how some people wrote to Zephyrus and found an article written by one staff writer to be offensive. The person who wrote the letter expressed much fury with the article, but that means that people are reading it if it is getting this much attentions. I have come to realize that a newspaper will always get feedback, both good and bad, but the amount of feedback the paper gets is as, if not more important.