Sept. 29, 2002 marks The Michigan Daily's 112th birthday. Though much has happened since our beginning, our mission and our purpose remain the same: to provide the best and most relevant news possible to the University community.

Every day, The Daily starts off as a blank collection of pages, but by the end of the night is filled with stories from around campus. Now it is time to tell our story.

Welcome to The Daily.

What follows is the process of production for this newspaper, occurring just 24 hours ago. Follow along as Staff Reporter Tyler Boersen takes you inside The Daily.

- 9 a.m. -

A Daily news editor arrives to start collecting stories for the next day's paper. Reporters come in and sign up for a story, or they receive a call or e-mail from the dayside editor. Already, the phone begins to ring with readers who were confused or disappointed with something the Daily printed, or people calling with news tips."Normally the dayside is pretty calm to start out - reading the newspaper, checking for faxes, having breakfast. And then people start to come in, which is good because it is really lonely when you first get here," News Editor Elizabeth Kassab said.

Every writer, every editor, every page designer and every advertising sales person at The Daily is a University student. In addition to schoolwork and attempting to maintain a social life, they put out a newspaper every day. Some people must skip a few classes to make it work, and some skip classes altogether. Some want to be journalists, though most probably don't. Some love to write; others find it stressful. Some love The Daily and want to spend every minute there; others wish they never had to come in. And some forget there is a social life outside The Daily, substituting the microcosm of Daily barbecues, Daily parties and Daily bowling for the outside world. For those so inclined, there are 'Daily Points' that tally the release of sexual tension between two staff members. Many of these embarrassing points are made public in the annual "Jeopardy" edition written by (inebriated) senior staffers on their last day, and thereby breaking all rules of journalistic integrity.

But it seems that once someone has seen their name on a story, worked a nightside and been to a few parties, an attachment syndrome sets in with a sense of personal responsibility to make sure the paper is always the best it can be. If a crime occurs in Ann Arbor, a decision is made in the lawsuits challenging the use of race in University admissions or a rally is being held on the Diag, reporters will set aside homework and postpone dates so they can be in the building and out in the community. None of it is done for the money, with reporters making only about $5 per story or shift worked.

"It is a very worthwhile experience to get to know the University because I felt that before I started working here I wanted to belong to something," Staff Reporter Kylene Kiang said.

- Noon -

The photo editor coordinates with each section to assign tasks to the Daily's photographers. Arts stories are due, and writers are asked to meet with the editors to discuss their reviews. Most news and sports stories have been assigned now, though almost no part of the paper has been produced yet. Reporters stream in throughout the day, making calls and doing research. The display staff is at work selling advertisements, keeping The Daily free for everyone on campus.

The Daily is operated by the Board for Student Publications but is independent of the University and completely funded by its own revenue (thus accounting for financial troubles throughout its history, including now). It has had editorial freedom since the very beginning - despite attempts by the University to silence it.

The Student Publications Building in which The Daily resides was constructed in 1931 using revenue from the newspaper. Ivy and various architectural accoutrements, shields and peeling paint, cover the outside of the building. Inside, the footprints of the more than 4,000 people who have worked in the building are apparent on the worn steps. At the back of the room, the old Associated Press wire machine is locked in a small closet. On the other end, a library holds all 112 years of Daily history, though many of the papers (especially 1965 and 1968) have become torn and tattered on the edges. On the first floor, the dismantled printing press sits in disarray, and the walls are plastered with 30 years of inside jokes.

- 4:15 p.m. -

News staff gathers in the "Batcave" for story conference and the editors begin to find out which stories are coming together and which are falling apart. The wire stories for the paper are chosen and stories are assigned to pages. Each story requires two reads from editors, but it will get more later.