"Salient's" Tone

It must be remembered that reporters and other staff are also students, often part-timers, getting the paper out at considerable personal inconvenience.

Reporters cannot be expected to give over every night in the week to cover meetings. Hence coverage devolves upon club secretaries, or a member of the club appointed publicity officer to keep Salient informed of what goes on. Some activities, of course, are covered automatically, e.g., Exec meetings, NZUSA, VUCSA, meetings, Films, and special assignments. It is up to the clubs themselves to make their activities known to the reporter who covers that particular branch. There is, too, a letter box in Salient door.

Salient, like any other paper, is willing to print any news item of general interest to students. It is willing to print writing, illustration, cartoons, photos of sufficient merit and general appeal. We have been accused at various times of dirty yellow journalism. Red Revolution, and of presenting only one side of a question. We have no apologies to make. We print practically every MS that comes to us, and are rarely overset for more than an issue or so, and so if only one side of a question appears, it can only be assumed that the other side has been moved to burst into tears, but not into print.

The aim of Salient is to publish every week. Unless there is a greater increase in both quantity and quality of MSS, this will not be possible. A few hints may not be misplaced:—

You think that something should be done about something? Then say so! You have a constructive criticism to make? Then make it! You disagree with a viewpoint expressed by another contributor? Then give us yours! You have read a new book of great interest? Review it!

In writing, make a rough draft, saying all that you want to say. Next day, read it over, tear it up, and rewrite it Leave it another day. Now write it again, cutting out all those high falutin' phrases, compressing it by half, and getting into the guts of the matter. Leave it another day, and then edit it harshly. With radical surgery cut out those pretty phrases that remain, excise those loose words and constructions. Type a fair copy, or write it legibly in ink, and send it in. Later you will be able to run off copy that can go to the printer unmarked by subbing.

Finally, remember that Salient is "An Organ of Student Opinion." is sent to many other universities. The views in Salient are read not only in NZ, but also Australia, Canada, USA, Great Britain and South Africa, so it is not purely parochial. Your opinions are of interest to the rest of the College, and may be of still more interest to the outside student world.

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