Local college newspaper to use new and improved delivery system

AFTER REPORTING low readership of their student-run newspaper, Lewis & Clark College is now implementing a new delivery system for their biweekly issues. The staff of the newspaper, The Pioneer Post, has found that sharing their newspaper with the student body via stacks in academic buildings and morning distribution by staff members was no longer effective in getting students to take interest in the newspapers and frame them on their walls.

“We are trying a much more hands-on approach,” Valencia Devine ’20, editor-in-chief of the newspaper, said. “Rather than leaving copies around for students to pick up at their leisure, we are currently testing out our new football team recruits, who tackle students on the way to class, forcing a copy of the paper into their hands.”

As a result of this new method, students have taken to picking up a copy on their own and holding it out in front of them at all times, saving themselves from later being tackled and having a paper forced upon them. Devine is pleased with the outcome, as it has students on campus talking about the paper more in general, and even glancing over articles simply because they are carrying the paper.

“I was just walking to class when all of a sudden I was jumped,” Travis Betts ’22 said. “I thought I was getting mugged. I tried to defend myself but all the guy cared about was that I took a copy of the PioPost with me. He handed it to me surprisingly gently and even put an extra in my backpack. Now that I have it, I guess I will read it.”

Betts stated that many of his friends have had similar experiences which has left them visibly shaken and armed with something to read between classes.

“I think this new system is great,” Will Baker ’23, football player working for The Pioneer Post, said. “It is about time that the athletes on campus made stronger connections with some of the student organizations.” 

In addition to tackling students, the staff of the newspaper is also visiting each residence hall on campus and sliding copies under the doors of each dorm room. This is intended to increase readership by forcing students to acknowledge the paper by picking it up, and maybe even reading a couple of headlines before tossing it in the recycling bin. Betts received one in his room, and now with three copies, he felt he truly had no choice but to read it. 

As a last resort, Devine and other staff members are considering replacing all of the napkins in the campus dining hall with issues of the newspaper.

“Not only would it reduce the waste caused by paper napkins, students would be interacting with the paper in their daily lives,” Devine said. “It would be unavoidable. This is one of our main goals here at the newspaper.”

Devine also stated that a secret tunnel system is in the works, crossing underneath campus in order to quicken distribution. Not only would this would give the staff direct and immediate access to all areas of campus, it would increase their reporting capabilities. However, she does not know whether or not these tunnels will actually be approved. The college administration reportedly stated that this method would come too close to spying on people, even in the interest of journalism. She hopes they will be approved, as she feels it is in everyone’s best interest to keep themselves informed.