The Michigan Daily has served as one of the many pillars of our multifaceted community over the last 127 years. With the turn of the new year, we want to recommit ourselves to our ongoing role and duty to the public. We acknowledge the importance of The Daily as a publication continuing to exist within the context of contemporary print journalism and journalism as a whole, and we are committed to adjusting ourselves to be at the forefront of the shifting world of digital media and to better serve our audience in the contemporary landscape of news consumption.
In the midst of current climate, challenges facing the news media and a public necessity for the pursuit of editorial excellence, the editors of The Michigan Daily are recommitting to several of our core values and key standards by which we run, and have run, our daily news publication for our readership and community.
In light of this, we are adapting the way we cover stories throughout The Daily to better place them in the wider context of political and social events. It is our desire that each section of The Daily reflects the diversity of our campus and our broader community, and we acknowledge the challenges inherent in encompassing a broader spectrum of political and social viewpoints. Nevertheless, our obligation to serve the public and ongoing commitment to editorial excellence drive our eagerness to embrace these difficulties.
At the heart of The Michigan Daily’s identity lies our editorial independence — separate from ties to the University of Michigan administration, the interests of shareholders or an owner, The Daily exists apart from undue influences on its content by outside interests. Our commitment to uphold this standard remains a key to our identity as a paper, and this continuity with our 127-year heritage fuels our values at the same time as it drives the rigorous implementation of modern standards of integrity in reporting.
We want to serve the whole University of Michigan and Ann Arbor communities, including those who have been neglected or inadequately represented in the past. In order fulfill this aim authentically, we must continue our chase after fairness and the complete truth, for the sake of our readership and the public. Our commitment to truth demands that, in this respect, it is our responsibility to showcase and highlight stories of underrepresented communities and narratives. We are being more cognizant of how we set the agenda of news by what we cover. We also take pride in our significance within both the local and national spheres, and recognize the importance of being true to our ideals in light of this fact. Therefore, our efforts to improve our representation and content will continue to be included in both the print and online initiatives we take on.
It is essential to The Michigan Daily to foster editorial excellence, to be an integral element in the lives of our community members and to continue our chase after fairness and the complete truth.