Daily Illini
Encyclopedia
The Daily Illini, commonly known as the DI, is an independent, student-run newspaper that has been published for the community of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
since 1871. Weekday circulation during fall and spring semesters is 20,000; copies are distributed free at more than 250 locations throughout Champaign-Urbana
.
The paper is published by Illini Media
Company, a not-for-profit corporation which also prints other U of I publications, and also and operates WPGU 107.1 FM, a student-run radio station. While the IMC has no official ties to the university, university professors and others in the academic community serve on its board of directors. The newspaper's staff has both full-time professionals and amateur students.
The Daily Illini's history is replete with staffers who have gone on to prominent careers in journalism. However, in recent years, the quality of some of the paper's work has caused it to become embroiled in controversy.
In February 2010, The Daily Illini was awarded the General Excellence award by the Illinois Collegiate Press Association. Their Web site, www.dailyillini.com has been named the best college newspaper Web site in the state for the past four years.
, Simpsons
producer/writer Larry Doyle, film critic Roger Ebert
, novelist Dave Eggers
, folk singer Dan Fogelberg
, Playboy founder/CEO Hugh Hefner
, High Times editor Steven Hager
, attorney Albert Jenner, columnist Robert Novak
, Coast to Coast Live radio host Ian Punnett
, advice columnist Dan Savage
, film critic Gene Shalit
, and several Pulitzer Prize
winners.
A large amount of criticism followed soon after, calling into question the paper's editorial policy. The editors responded by defending their right to publish it. Critics noted that the publishing of this letter was not surprising to them after the Daily Illini's history of publishing other articles that appeared to be anti-Semitic. Previous letters published in the Daily Illini have accused Israel of being guilty of genocide and another compared the Jews to Nazis. Moreover, while the Daily Illini apologized when it published a photo thought to be demeaning to black students, it refused to apologize for publishing a letter claiming that Jews manipulate America.
In December, 2003, the paper published an article by Miriam Sobh called "Stop Turning a Blind Eye" that contained a quote attributed to Ariel Sharon that was fabricated. (See Alleged Ouze Merham interview of Ariel Sharon.) The author later gave a full apology for using the fabricated quote. Despite the controversy that occurred from printing the falsely attributed quote the first time, the Daily Illini printed it a second time on November 19, 2004, in another article.
The DI also published an anti-semitic comic strip on November 5, 2004, strip of "I Hate Pam." The paper acknowledged in a later editorial that the strip mocked Jews. The comic was suspended for approximately four weeks.
that had previously been printed in Europe and had led to protests around the world and a few instances of violent rioting by offended Muslims. Gorton's column that accompanied the cartoons was cited to support the first view. Prochaska and Gorton were also criticized by fellow editors in a later editorial for not following protocol in previously discussing their printing, though it was revealed later that some of the staff did know about it in the hours prior to printing. A firestorm of letters and calls from all over the country and the world came into The Daily Illini expressing both support and outrage. Gorton and Prochaska were suspended with pay for 2 weeks to investigate whether proper procedures were followed. As of March 14, 2006, Gorton was terminated from the Daily Illini. Prochaska was offered the opportunity to return to his position but refused.
a Republican when describing his draft bill. Rangel is a Democrat.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
since 1871. Weekday circulation during fall and spring semesters is 20,000; copies are distributed free at more than 250 locations throughout Champaign-Urbana
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
.
The paper is published by Illini Media
Illini Media
The Illini Media Company is a non-profit corporation that owns several student-run media outlets associated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: the general newspaper the Daily Illini, entertainment paper Buzz, local entertainment website The217.com, engineering quarterly...
Company, a not-for-profit corporation which also prints other U of I publications, and also and operates WPGU 107.1 FM, a student-run radio station. While the IMC has no official ties to the university, university professors and others in the academic community serve on its board of directors. The newspaper's staff has both full-time professionals and amateur students.
The Daily Illini's history is replete with staffers who have gone on to prominent careers in journalism. However, in recent years, the quality of some of the paper's work has caused it to become embroiled in controversy.
Staff
The editorial, business and production departments are staffed by students who are enrolled in a wide variety of degree programs, not just journalism. Several full-time professionals, including the newspaper's publisher and the advertising and circulation managers, are employees of IMC. Students also are paid for their jobs in reporting, editing, production and advertising.Awards
The DI regularly receives awards such as the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold and Silver Crowns and the Associated College Press Pacemaker Award.In February 2010, The Daily Illini was awarded the General Excellence award by the Illinois Collegiate Press Association. Their Web site, www.dailyillini.com has been named the best college newspaper Web site in the state for the past four years.
Offices
The newspaper's offices are currently located on Green Street in Champaign. In May 2006, the newspaper, along with the other IMC entities, moved east on Green Street in Champaign to a new building closer to campus. In doing so, the company consolidated the offices of WPGU, which had been in a separate location, with the offices of the rest of the IMC entities.Prominent staff emeriti
Notable alumni of the newspaper include Rape of Nanking author Iris ChangIris Chang
Iris Shun-Ru Chang was an American historian and journalist. She is best known for her best-selling 1997 account of the Nanking Massacre, The Rape of Nanking. She committed suicide on November 9, 2004...
, Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
producer/writer Larry Doyle, film critic Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
, novelist Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers is an American writer, editor, and publisher. He is known for the best-selling memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and for his more recent work as a screenwriter. He is also the co-founder of the literacy project 826 Valencia.-Life:Eggers was born in Boston, Massachusetts,...
, folk singer Dan Fogelberg
Dan Fogelberg
Daniel Grayling "Dan" Fogelberg was an American singer-songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, whose music was inspired by sources as diverse as folk, pop, rock, classical, jazz, and bluegrass music...
, Playboy founder/CEO Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
, High Times editor Steven Hager
Steven Hager
Steven Hager, a writer, journalist, filmmaker, and counterculture and cannabis activist, was born May 25, 1951, in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, the son of Lowell P. Hager and Francis Erea Hager.-Early life and career:...
, attorney Albert Jenner, columnist Robert Novak
Robert Novak
Robert David Sanders "Bob" Novak was an American syndicated columnist, journalist, television personality, author, and conservative political commentator. After working for two newspapers before serving for the U.S. Army in the Korean War, he became a reporter for the Associated Press and then for...
, Coast to Coast Live radio host Ian Punnett
Ian Punnett
Case Ian Punnett is an American radio broadcaster.Punnett hosts a morning show, Ian and Margery, with his wife on KTMY in Minneapolis-St...
, advice columnist Dan Savage
Dan Savage
Daniel Keenan "Dan" Savage is an American author, media pundit, journalist and newspaper editor. Savage writes the internationally syndicated relationship and sex advice column Savage Love. Its tone is frank in its discussion of sexuality, often humorous, and hostile to social conservatives, as in...
, film critic Gene Shalit
Gene Shalit
Gene Shalit is a film and book critic. He has filled these roles on NBC's The Today Show since January 15, 1973. He is known for his frequent use of puns, his oversized handlebar moustache, and for wearing colorful bowties.-Career:...
, and several Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winners.
Anti-semitism
In January 2003, The Daily Illini printed a letter in its opinion section titled "Jews Manipulate America"A large amount of criticism followed soon after, calling into question the paper's editorial policy. The editors responded by defending their right to publish it. Critics noted that the publishing of this letter was not surprising to them after the Daily Illini's history of publishing other articles that appeared to be anti-Semitic. Previous letters published in the Daily Illini have accused Israel of being guilty of genocide and another compared the Jews to Nazis. Moreover, while the Daily Illini apologized when it published a photo thought to be demeaning to black students, it refused to apologize for publishing a letter claiming that Jews manipulate America.
In December, 2003, the paper published an article by Miriam Sobh called "Stop Turning a Blind Eye" that contained a quote attributed to Ariel Sharon that was fabricated. (See Alleged Ouze Merham interview of Ariel Sharon.) The author later gave a full apology for using the fabricated quote. Despite the controversy that occurred from printing the falsely attributed quote the first time, the Daily Illini printed it a second time on November 19, 2004, in another article.
The DI also published an anti-semitic comic strip on November 5, 2004, strip of "I Hate Pam." The paper acknowledged in a later editorial that the strip mocked Jews. The comic was suspended for approximately four weeks.
Jyllands-Posten participation
The newspaper's former editor-in-chief Acton Gorton and opinions editor Chuck Prochaska made a controversial decision in February 2006 to print the cartoons from the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversyJyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
that had previously been printed in Europe and had led to protests around the world and a few instances of violent rioting by offended Muslims. Gorton's column that accompanied the cartoons was cited to support the first view. Prochaska and Gorton were also criticized by fellow editors in a later editorial for not following protocol in previously discussing their printing, though it was revealed later that some of the staff did know about it in the hours prior to printing. A firestorm of letters and calls from all over the country and the world came into The Daily Illini expressing both support and outrage. Gorton and Prochaska were suspended with pay for 2 weeks to investigate whether proper procedures were followed. As of March 14, 2006, Gorton was terminated from the Daily Illini. Prochaska was offered the opportunity to return to his position but refused.
Editorial accuracy
Daily Illini editorials were halted on September 22, 2006, after the September 20, 2006 editorial on the Midnight Madness basketball event was found to contain misinformation and misinterpretation. The paper resumed publishing editorials on October 9, 2006 with an editorial explaining the changes to the way editorials will be researched and published. However, even with the new guidelines, on November 29, 2006, the newspaper printed an editorial calling Representative Charles B. RangelCharles B. Rangel
Charles Bernard "Charlie" Rangel is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1971. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the third-longest currently serving member of the House of Representatives. As its most senior member, he is also the Dean of New York's congressional delegation...
a Republican when describing his draft bill. Rangel is a Democrat.