The Diamondback

The Diamondback is an independent student newspaper associated with the University of Maryland, College Park. It began in 1910 as "The Triangle" and acquired its current name in 1921. Now a weekly online journal, "The Diamondback" was published as a daily print newspaper on weekdays until 2013. It is published by Maryland Media, Inc., a non-profit organization. The newspaper receives no University funding and derives its revenue from advertising.
History.
"The Diamondback" was founded in 1910 as "The Triangle." The name was then changed a few times to "The M.A.C. Weekly", "Maryland State Review", and "University Review." The newspaper was renamed for a final time in 1921 to "The Diamondback", in honor of a local reptile, the Diamondback terrapin (the terrapin became the official school mascot in 1933). In the 1930s, the newspaper was printed weekly, increasing to five times per week by the 1950s and distributed for free at various campus locations, until the Friday edition was eliminated in 2013. In 2015, the four days per week publication was reduced to a weekly print edition. The change mirrored a nationwide trend in student newspapers at U.S. universities in the 2010s, such as at the University of Wisconsin, University of Nebraska, and Arizona State, where daily print editions were dropped as readers increasingly gravitated towards social media and online news sources. In March, 2020, the print edition of the newspaper was discontinued altogether. By then, it was published once a week on Monday, with a print circulation of 8,000, down from a high of more than 21,000, and what used to be annual advertising revenues of more than $1 million. It was usually twelve to sixteen pages.
Over the years, the newspaper has been noted for its willingness to challenge authority. In 1935, "The Diamondback" sharply criticized then-University President Raymond A. Pearson, saying in an editorial that faculty morale was deteriorating following salary cuts and the departure of highly regarded professors had resulted in lowered academic standing. In response, the Board of Regents formed a special committee for a "full investigation". Pearson defended the salary cuts as due to reduced state funding attributable to the Depression and denied that scholastic excellence had been impaired. Pearson subsequently resigned.
In a November, 1940, editorial written in the wake of a disappointing football season, the "Diamondback" called for the University to provide football scholarships. Saying that state universities "cannot afford not to have a good football team", the editorial added, "the boys who play college football deserve financial aid where they need it. They work hard enough in the course of a season to qualify for pay on a full time job".
In 1972, the Board of Regents granted Maryland Media Inc. a non-profit charter and free office space on campus, under which the "Diamondback" operates independently. The newspaper receives no University funding and derives its revenue from advertising.
In 1996, the "Diamondback" was described by Maryland's largest newspaper, "The Baltimore Sun", as having a "hard-edged reputation", especially when compared to student newspapers at other colleges in the state. In 2001, a controversy erupted between "The Diamondback" and the University's journalism school when the "Diamondback" student staff objected to the Dean of Journalism's proposal that publisher Maryland Media hire a paid editorial advisor for the newsroom, accusing the Dean of a "takeover" that would jeopardize the newspaper's independence. The month before, the "Baltimore Sun" reported that Maryland Media had a $4 million surplus, with the "Diamondback" non-student manager paid $179,123 and potentially earning as much as $300,000 per year, further exacerbating relations.
Currently.
"The Diamondback" now publishes a daily digital-only edition during the school year at dbknews.com. It has been independently published since 1972 by Maryland Media, a non-profit corporation. The paper's offices are located on the third floor of the South Campus Dining Hall, across from the WMUC-FM radio station and the University of Maryland's Residence Hall Association office. As of September, 2019, the newspaper's editor said that "The Diamondback" website had 160,000 visitors for the month.
Sections.
"The Diamondback" is split into four sections:
Awards.
"The Diamondback" has received many awards throughout its history for categories including photography, news writing and cartoons, especially from the Society of Professional Journalists. In 1949, it was named the "Best College Newspaper" among schools having more than 6,000 students by Pi Delta Epsilon, the national honorary journalism fraternity (now the Society for Collegiate Journalists).
For the 2012–2013, 2015 and 2016 school years, "The Diamondback" was named the "Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper" in Region 2 by the Society of Professional Journalists.
For the 2010–2011 school year, "The Diamondback" received a first-place "Mark of Excellence" award for its region, and saw several of its journalists go on to win individual national awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, including for column writing and sports reporting.
For the 2008–2009 school year, "The Diamondback" placed second in the national Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards ranking of daily student newspapers. It received the first-place award for its region.
For the 2005–2006 school year, "The Diamondback" received a "Mark of Excellence" award, placing 3rd nationally for "Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper" and placing first in its region in the same category.
Alumni.
Journalists.
Notable journalists who worked at "The Diamondback" include: