London Student
Encyclopedia
London Student is the newspaper of the University of London Union
. It began publishing in 1979. It is an editorially independent publication with ultimate control over content and editorial appointments vested in the elected full-time Editor, who is currently Joe Rennison.
It distributes 12,500 copies fortnightly during termtime throughout the university year, equating to approximately 12 issues annually. 20,000 copies of 2007's Freshers' Issue were distributed, up from 14,000 in 2006.
Previous editors include:
Also in spring 2006, the paper was one of few in the country to take a strong supportive stance of lecturers regarding the AUT and NATFHE (now UCU) joint strike action as they fought for better pay and conditions. The story led the paper from Christmas onwards, with the exception of the issue containing 'Nailed on Sunday'.
's Pi, King's College London
's Roar and Queen Mary, University of London
's Cub, generally offer a different style of coverage to London Student, there is genuine competition in terms of breaking news from three weekly newspapers: Felix
at Imperial College London
, The Beaver
at the London School of Economics
, The Lion at Heythrop College
and The Orbital
& The Founder
at Royal Holloway, University of London
. Editions of the commercial The Sanctuary newspaper added marginally to competition at University College London
and the London School of Economics
during the academic year 2007-8.
, later best known for her long association with the Daily Express
where she was nicknamed the "first lady of Fleet Street
".
Extensive, though incomplete, archives of both newspapers are held at both the University of London
's library, and the British Library
Newspaper section in Colindale
.
University of London Union
The University of London Union is the university-wide students' union for the University of London...
. It began publishing in 1979. It is an editorially independent publication with ultimate control over content and editorial appointments vested in the elected full-time Editor, who is currently Joe Rennison.
It distributes 12,500 copies fortnightly during termtime throughout the university year, equating to approximately 12 issues annually. 20,000 copies of 2007's Freshers' Issue were distributed, up from 14,000 in 2006.
Editors
The editor of London Student is chosen annually by an election in which all University of London students are entitled to vote. The current editor is Hesham Zakai.Previous editors include:
- 2011-2012: Hesham Zakai
- 2010-11: Joe Rennison
- 2009-10: Hilary Aked
- 2008-9: Kat Lay
- 2007-8: Elinor Zuke
- 2006-7: John Kenchington
- 2005-6: Patrick Ward
- 2004-5: Alexi Duggins
- 2003-4: Lila Allen
- 2002-3: Clare-Marie White
- 2001-2: Fiona Sibley
- 2000-1: Stuart Butchers
- 1999-2000: Chris Campbell
- 1998-9: Tom Belton
- 1997-8: John Handelaar
- 1996-7: Sarah Shenker
- 1995-6: Ben Oliver
- 1994-5: Kevin Ashton
- 1993-4: Liz Llewellyn
- 1991-2 Louise Clarke
- 1990-1: Natasha Roe
- 1982-3: Chris Ward
- 1981-2: Sarah Lewthwaite
- 1980-1: Paul Segal
- 1991-2: Natalie Rodriguez
Notable stories
In March 2006, the newspaper broke the story that the Mail on Sunday newspaper had offered student reporters money to infiltrate and record meetings of student Islamic societies in the wake of the London bombings of 7 July 2005. The report, headlined 'Nailed on Sunday', created some international media coverage, although the response in the UK was more muted. The Mail on Sunday responded by saying that they were investigating "a subject of great public interest" and had acted "responsibly", but did not deny the allegations.Also in spring 2006, the paper was one of few in the country to take a strong supportive stance of lecturers regarding the AUT and NATFHE (now UCU) joint strike action as they fought for better pay and conditions. The story led the paper from Christmas onwards, with the exception of the issue containing 'Nailed on Sunday'.
Design
For many years, the newspaper was a red-top tabloid. This changed under Patrick Ward's editorship, with a transition toward a midmarket newspaper that better matched the more serious journalistic style of the paper's contributors. The cultural pullout section also returned, under the new name of 'Play'.Play
"Play" is the London Student's culture pullout section. It has various pages devoted to certain cultural coverage, including "Stage", "Screen" and "Music". Impressively, each section often gains access to national press events, previews and interviews with significant artists or people prominent within each cultural discipline: Roots Manuva, Park Chan-Wook, Iain Rankin and British Sea Power are just some of the people featured in the magazine.Competition
Unlike the majority of UK student newspapers, London Student competes with other student-led publications for a readership. The newspapers and magazines of the constituent colleges of the University of London complement the newspaper's coverage of events. Although the college magazines, such as University College LondonUniversity College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
's Pi, King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
's Roar and Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
's Cub, generally offer a different style of coverage to London Student, there is genuine competition in terms of breaking news from three weekly newspapers: Felix
Felix (newspaper)
Felix is the award-winning student newspaper of Imperial College London. It won the Guardian Student Newspaper of the Year award in 2008. The newspaper is published weekly during term time, approximately 30 issues per year, and is distributed around the various Imperial College campuses.The FELIX...
at Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
, The Beaver
The Beaver
The Beaver is the weekly newspaper of the London School of Economics Students' Union at the LSE.Despite being published by the Students' Union, The Beaver is independent in its reporting....
at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, The Lion at Heythrop College
Heythrop College
Heythrop College is the specialist philosophy and theology constituent college of the University of London situated in Kensington Square, Kensington, London. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in philosophy, theology and psychology, as well as research in related fields.It was founded...
and The Orbital
The Orbital
The Orbital is the official student publication of SURHUL. It contains a range of subjects covering student life, culture, entertainment and current affairs. It attempts to strike a balance between serious topics and light-hearted features....
& The Founder
The Founder
The Founder is the independent student newspaper at Royal Holloway, University of London. It is distinguished from other campus media by its compact design and its independence from SURHUL.-Current information:...
at Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London is a constituent college of the University of London. The college has three faculties, 18 academic departments, and about 8,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 130 different countries...
. Editions of the commercial The Sanctuary newspaper added marginally to competition at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
and the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
during the academic year 2007-8.
Sennet
Sennet was the direct predecessor of London Student. It was published from at least 1954. Its editor in 1959 was Jean RookJean Rook
Jean Kathleen Rook was an English journalist dubbed The First Lady of Fleet Street for her regular opinion column in the Daily Express...
, later best known for her long association with the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
where she was nicknamed the "first lady of Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
".
Extensive, though incomplete, archives of both newspapers are held at both the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
's library, and the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
Newspaper section in Colindale
Colindale
-Transport:*Colindale tube station, on the Northern Line Edgware branch, is situated on the north side of the east-west Colindale Lane.-Development:...
.
External links
- London Student advertising information from the ULU website