Editorial

Concerning Salient 1961

As I write this editorial last-minute preparations are being made before Salient issue 15 goes to press. By the end of this year, we will have produced 15 regular issues, one special Careers Information issue, and five supplements—16 issues in all, a record for Victoria University's Student Newspaper.

Some readers (including perhaps some of our editors) probably smiled sceptically as soon as I used the word "newspaper." There are those who claim that Salient is not really a newspaper because the information contained in Salient is generally over a week old, because reviews of films, plays, etc., sometimes appear after the events are well over. A newspaper, some say, is a "printed publication appearing daily or weekly containing new information, fresh events reported, advertisements and literary matter." The editor, too, owns a dictionary. But it is submitted that Salient is justified in claiming to be Victoria University's newspaper.

Admittedly, we do not produce fresh news hot off the press; nevertheless, we do produce information; we do have advertisements and literary matter for our readers; we do make important announcements now and then. Although some of the events reported may have been stale news to many readers, there were still the part-timers to consider. Also, these events recorded will go down in history (the university library keeps bound copies of Salient each year.) Furthermore, although Salient neither appears daily, nor weekly, we did appear regularly at fortnightly intervals whenever the University was open. This, I feel, has been our greatest achievement this year: during term time, every second Monday this year, there has always been a new issue of Salient appearing in our honesty boxes. The last issue, when it comes out, will not be late either. Salient 5 was an exception: it was two hours late. The inclusion of the words "daily or weekly" in our definition suggests "regularity." In fact, a vital stage in the evolution of any publication towards the "real thing"—the newspaper—is this: a 100 per cent, predictability in publication dates. Only when publication dates are fully predictable will the advertiser readily buy space, the reader pays his subscription, the club secretaries willingly advance notices of club meetings.

Until this regularity can be achieved, and until the future editors can be certain they will be able to continue having regular publication dates, there shall be no justification for attempting to close the breach between deadline date and publication date, event and presentation of news. Salient this year has attained that standard of predictability—we are very near the real thing." I have said it; I say it again: Salient is a newspaper, your newspaper.

There are also those readers who have occasionally criticised (sometimes justly) the quality of the articles produced in Salient, 1961; they disagreed with "editorial policy." But what many people fail to appreciate is that " editorial policy " is a nebulous concept; editorial policy is not a rigid thing. For contrary to public belief, Salient's policy is largely controlled by the amount and type of contributions received. Unless the section editors are crazy enough to write everything themselves, and unless the editor is an extremely biased person, the content of Salient will always be a direct reflection of Victoria. It is therefore my claim that Salient, 1961, has been a true presentation of life at Victoria University. So that if the content of Salient, 1961, has been in your opinion unsatisfactory, you — dear readers — must also be partly responsible. Yet, there are these people who complain, but would not write; who condemn, but would not contribute materially—they are Salient's damnation.

To those readers who have contributed, Salient is deeply grateful I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Salient 1961 staff members and the technicians of A

B. D. Clark, Ltd. for their valuable services. I thank in particular those Salient staff members who offered help at the beginning of this year, when help was most needed; when conditions were most discouraging at the old Salient hut, and at our temporary headquarters in the Little Theatre. Without these people, the production of Salient would have been impossible.

As for myself, I can only say that it has been a privilege to work with such a cheerful staff. It has been a pleasant experience editing Salient; and sometimes it has been an enigmatic experience . . . editing a newspaper in a tongue which you can admire, love, and resent at times.

To the Salient, 1962, editor (Mr White), and to those sitting for finals, we say " good luck."

B. March.

October 2, 1961.