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UNL students working to start satire newspaper

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By MELISSA LEE / Lincoln Journal Star

Tuesday, Dec 04, 2007 - 11:54:10 pm CST

It might not be long before a University of Nebraska-Lincoln version of The Onion starts showing up in campus newsstands.

A growing movement of students, led by a sophomore from Broken Bow, is trying to jump-start a satirical newspaper called the Dailyer Nebraskan, a spinoff of the student-run campus paper, the Daily Nebraskan.

Those students say the UNL campus is ripe for satire, a genre that’s gained remarkable popularity among young people, and they contend a university that prides itself on diversity should offer more than one student paper.

Story Photo
Dailyer Nebraskan editor Carson Vaughan (center) with his staff (from left) Bryce Wergin, John Palmtag, Dustin Rymph, Patrick Fullmer, Lauren Larsen and Paige Mathew in front of the student union. (Robert Becker)

Their skeptics worry satire violates traditional journalistic values of truthfulness, accuracy and fairness.

When Carson Vaughan arrived at UNL last year, he assumed he’d find a satirical publication like the one he’d helped start at Broken Bow High School.

He didn’t, so after his freshman year, the news-editorial and English major dreamed up the Dailyer Nebraskan, a project he believed would find considerable support among teens and twentysomethings who get at least some of their news from such sources as “The Daily Show.”

“Kids want something to laugh at,” said Vaughan, who will intern at The Onion in New York next summer. “Satire can get at deeper truths than hard news can.”

Vaughan enlisted the guidance of journalism instructor Scott Winter, rounded up a staff of about 60 students and then, on Nov. 28, appealed to the UNL Publications Board for its affiliation and a small amount of money in start-up funds.

Besides the financial perks, affiliation with the board would allow for better production and distribution, Vaughan said, and would help establish the Dailyer Nebraskan as a credible publication.

Both Vaughan and Winter say they were taken aback when the board voted 4-3 against affiliating with the Dailyer Nebraskan.

“I find it ridiculous,” Vaughan said. “We’re being told that we can’t start a paper to express our voices.”

Sophomore Eric Hamilton, Publications Board chairman, said he has no intention of snuffing out student speech. Rather, Hamilton said, he voted no because of NU Board of Regents guidelines for student press that say student-produced journalism must exhibit truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity and fairness, and must take pains not to damage a person’s reputation.

Because of its satirical nature, the Dailyer Nebraskan wouldn’t be able to uphold those values, Hamilton said.

“This is absolutely not a freedom of speech issue,” he said. “We’re certainly not banning them from UNL.

“We’re not opposing their efforts for any reason other than conflicts in our bylaws and guidelines for the student press. ... My interpretation of those guidelines is a satirical publication would not fit in.”

But Vaughan and his supporters say the regents guidelines don’t apply to satire.

“A satirical newspaper can’t exist with hard-edged guidelines,” said Derek Hester, a UNL junior and Publications Board member who voted in support of affiliating with the Dailyer Nebraskan.

Echoed Winter: “Inherently, a satirical newspaper goes by a different code.”

Still, Hamilton said his vote doesn’t indicate he wants to see the Dailyer Nebraskan fail — only that its success may have to come without an official relationship with the Publications Board.

But he indicated he’d be open to changing his vote, which he’ll get the chance to do Dec. 12 when Vaughan re-appeals to the Publications Board.

This time, Vaughan will present an official business plan, samples of stories that might appear in the Dailyer Nebraskan and a mission statement, code of conduct and other documents Winter says show he is serious about his work.

Vaughan also is hopeful all nine voting members of the Publications Board will attend the meeting.

He’s certainly found support on campus: A Facebook group called “Approve the Dailyer Nebraskan” boasts nearly 800 members, and even the Daily Nebraskan’s editorial board has voiced its support.

The two papers would be different enough that they aren’t likely to compete for readers, said Daily Nebraskan Editor-in-Chief Josh Swartzlander.

In fact, a little competition might even push reporters to be better, Swartzlander said.

“I think they deserve a shot.”

Reach Melissa Lee at 473-2682 or mlee@journalstar.com.


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UNL Student wrote on December 5, 2007 12:39 am:
" Whatever happened to the Daily Half@$$kan? "
Love the idea wrote on December 5, 2007 12:51 am:
" but why use a spinoff name? Why be affiliated in any way with the "establishment" paper of the U? You want to "go by a different code" ... why not go by a different name, as well? "
Dumb... wrote on December 5, 2007 3:57 am:
" Couldn't they pick a better name than "Dailyer"? If the quality of the stories follow the creativity of the name, the UNL campus is in for plenty of suckitude. "
alan wrote on December 5, 2007 8:20 am:
" Hey Carson, how about this for satire that's deeper and more truthful than hard news: Give ME some of YOUR money to fund and found the Dailiest Nebraskan. Freedom of Speech doesn't mean it's free for you and is paid by me. Don't mimic The Onion. Grow some. "
Self Fund wrote on December 5, 2007 8:30 am:
" Well, if they really want to do it, they're always free to fund the whole thing themselves and distribute it off-campus, or even just online. "
GetOffMyLawn wrote on December 5, 2007 9:14 am:
" I call shenanigans!! I remember back in the day, when there was an occasional "Daily Halfasken" satirical newspaper insert in the campus rag, so I don't see why they can't have one a gain. This is another case of a university doing what is best for its funding vehicle, rather than doing what is best for its students. The minute any paper starts to blast them for selling out, is the minute that they use every mechanism in its power to silence them. "
Bob wrote on December 5, 2007 9:45 am:
" Humor will not be tolerated. Far too many "won't get it" and you'll see one page editorials about its indecency and horrors, guaranteed! I'd love to see and read something of this nature, but most won't see a value and chances are will complain heavily, even if it were called The Satirical and fake newspaper of Nebraska. They won't get it and they'll be rather spiteful about it...good luck though. "
tim wrote on December 5, 2007 9:51 am:
" because a hand full of students for 20,000 want to do something they expect UNL to pay the way. get real nerds. how bout UNL funding my guitar hero club. "
old DNer wrote on December 5, 2007 10:29 am:
" The Daily Nebraskan put out that satirical newspaper once a year on April Fools Day. It hasn't been out in recent years because April Fools day fell on the weekend, so. Look for it this year, I'm assuming. It wasn't a "rival organization" that put out the joke issue. It was the DN folks themselves. "
Newsprint is dead wrote on December 5, 2007 12:02 pm:
" publish on line. Look at your audience. "
It's a great idea and long overdue wrote on December 5, 2007 10:03 pm:
" There are many, MANY, public universities around the country which publish satirical newspapers. I attend UC Berkeley, and the satirical publication on our campus, "The Heuristic Squelch," is very popular among the student body and is funded with student fees. For UNL to deny its students the same opportunity is ridiculous. I can't believe some people are worried about a small amount of "their" tax money going toward a publication that the vast majority of UNL students would find refreshing and entertaining. Why does everyone have to be such a fun hater? "
JA wrote on December 5, 2007 11:14 pm:
" why cant i sign a petition even if i am not a student? i do pay taxes in Nebraska and when i read the paper im also looking at advertising "
DrN Supporter wrote on December 6, 2007 1:09 am:
" The group is not asking for anything rediculous. All they want is to have enough funding to print the first one or two issues until the paper can sustain itself with advertisers. If you are mad about "funding" this paper with your money, your argument is void. This small amount they are asking will come from student fees. Be informed on the situation before you slam them with your criticism. "
Mookie Blaylock wrote on December 6, 2007 2:51 pm:
" Okay, so maybe you're not concerned with the lack of a satirical newspaper for your university. Despite your idea of humor, if you're a student you should be upset that your authoritarian school is shutting down your right to free speech. The argument that this is not a free speech issue doesn't stand. True, the dailyer nebraskan could publish on its own and hand it out on campus. The problem surfaces when you consider the fact that if this newspaper was real, hard news it would be published and funded thanks to the publications board--no questions asked. Because this paper takes a satirical twist however, they're refusing to fund it. Stand up for your rights to free speech on campus. So you don't like the idea for the newspaper, fine. Allow the extra 3 cents that will be added to your student fees to pay for your first amendment rights. "
chris wrote on January 23, 2008 3:35 pm:
" i just find it funny that this kid is from broken bow "
Tamara wrote on February 13, 2008 11:55 am:
" I cant believe i actually read this article i used to go to school with carson and i know that any newspaper started with him as editor would be truthfull, accurate, objective and fair, and he would never damage a persons reputation. I say give them a shot. "

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