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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 27, No. 13. 1964.

Editor's Handbook

Editor's Handbook

The New Zealand University Student Press Association propose publishing an editors' handbook. Such a handbook is intended to contain material of assistance to new editors of student papers, who often take over their jobs knowing little about the problems they will face. Con O'Leary, editor of the Auckland student paper, Craccum, is preparing a rough draft which will be studied at the next meeting of the Student Press Association, Easter, 1965.

At the Press Association meeting it was announced that Critic, the Otago student newspaper, had won the Student Press Contest for 1964. The contest, entered by the seven student papers, was the first such to be held. It was judged by the managing director of the New Zealand Press Association, Mr. H. L. Verry, and the editor of The Evening Post, Mr. Freeman. Salient was placed second.

Commenting on the contest the judges said: "In our view, the newspaper which seeks to give the widest coverage of university affairs, and of events in the community which are of particular interest to students, and which succeeds in editorials, features, news reports and photography, in this aim, together with reasonable literary standards and pleasing make-up, best fu'fi's the purpose of a student newspaper."

Of Salient, which the judges specially commended, they said: "This newspaper is also well produced and the make-up is of a good standard. In news reports and features it was almost the equal of Critic. Faults which detracted from its overall merit included a tendency to editorialise in what clearly purported to be straight news reports rather than the work of acknowledged contributors or columnists who, under a by-line, may properly express any opinion the editor is prepared to publish."

(The Salients considered by the Judges were edited by Bill Alexander and Dave Wright.)

At the Press Association meeting, the president of NZSPA, Rob Laking, resigned, and present Salient editor Tony Haas was elected in his place.

After the close of the meetings, the delegations attended a seminar on the editor-publisher relationship, where problems faced by editors and executives in working together were discussed. A code of ethics was drawn up by the editors, and will be incorporated in the student Press constitution.

The code, based on the International Student Press code, acknowledges that the student Press bears great responsibility to students by virtue of the power to influence student opinion, and declares that it should be mindful of these responsibilities. The code of ethics notes that the editor should realise his special responsibility to provide comprehensive information to his readers so that the social conscience of his paper s readership may be maintained and promoted.

Editors were informed of moves to set up a national student paper. This would be an independent paper, run from Auckland student paper out six times a year.