65 years after its editorial debut, the Daily Universe is entering a new phase
The Daily Universe, or simply known as The Universe, has been a BYU journalism staple since 1956. Over the course of six decades, the publication has had many different looks and countless student contributors.
The weekly paper was once a daily operation with new issues being printed Monday through Friday. In 2012, the daily paper transitioned into a once-a-week only issue. Now at the start of a new decade, the paper has reverted back to a former construct and undergone a bit of a facelift as well.
The Daily Universe magazine, 2021
No longer a weekly publication, The Daily Universe newspaper is now The Daily Universe magazine. This is not the first time the DU has appeared in magazine form. There were magazine-style issues in the early aughts of the publication before it officially landed on the newspaper format.
Still on newspaper loose-leaf, the magazine is now a once-a-month issue boasting longer features, Q&As and more deliberate visual arts to accompany each piece.
The features in the magazine will serve as more evergreen pieces with the ability to stay relevant for longer. For more “happening now” media, the institution’s website will still be able to provide day-to-day content for readers.
Editor in Chief Emma Gadeski says this change allows students to become more informed before working on a story. “This will help students to find databases or research articles and really learn about a topic before starting on it. I think having that research element will serve as a strong backbone for bigger stories,” she said.
The Daily Universe newspaper, 1970
When asked what has changed between the magazine and the paper, Gadeski said, “There’s definitely more of a graphic and visual element in the magazine. The paper had a very set template that we would plug stuff into. Now with the magazine, I feel it’s a little more flexible.”
Communications professor and magazine overseer Ed Carter echoed the sentiments of the editor in chief when he said, “I think the ‘magazine’ is really a metaphor or vehicle for teaching good research skills, critical thinking, effective writing, professional ethics and using appropriate technology to deliver important messages to an audience.”
The Daily Universe newspaper, 1980
Carter explained that the change from paper to magazine was brought on by wanting to bring more benefit to students as well as serve the campus community better. “There is a lot of academic research about the potential for magazines to contribute to community-building in various ways and I think we want to play a positive role on campus,” he said.
How will students adapt from writing quicker stories for a weekly newspaper to more long-form pieces for a monthly magazine? Carter said that he tells his students they should relish the newspaper experience and use what they learned to aid in the cultivation of their journalism growth going forward.
For students who are interested in being part of the Daily Universe team, the staff turns over yearly and the advisement faculty are always looking for enthusiastic and dedicated new students to get involved.
“Most of them are students in the journalism program,” said Carter, “and thus far interest in the program has remained steady and strong for many years.”