{"id":82722,"date":"2018-01-09T11:16:40","date_gmt":"2018-01-09T10:16:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=82722"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:55","slug":"target-group-difficulty-accepting-columnists-freedom-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2018\/01\/09\/target-group-difficulty-accepting-columnists-freedom-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cOur target group has difficulty accepting columnists\u2019 freedom of speech\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Amsterdam\u2019s Folia is undergoing great changes at the moment. Like EM, the magazine published by the University of Amsterdam and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences is now an on-line publication only, starting 1 January. EM editor-in-chief Wieneke Gunneweg and her colleagues Francine Bardoel and Altan Erdogan (the editors-in-chief of Univers, and Folia and HvanA, respectively) discuss the opportunities for, and threats to, journalism in higher education. \u201cEditors must be pretty tough.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Wieneke Gunneweg (EM), Altan Erdogan (Folia) and Francine Bardoel (Univers).<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSanne van der Most<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Folia is paying a visit to Erasmus Magazine in Rotterdam. Hanging on the wall of editor-in-chief Wieneke Gunneweg\u2019s workroom is a draft version of EM\u2019s cover of the end-of-year issue, which will soon be published. As with Folia, EM\u2019s end-of-year issue marks the final hard-copy issue. Like Folia, EM is now an on-line publication only, starting from 2018.<\/p>\n\t

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This article was originally published in Dutch by our colleagues at Folia<\/em><\/a> in Amsterdam and was republished with their permission.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n

The cover shows a woman painted in a colourful pop-art style<\/a>. She is crying. The working title below says, Last Christmas<\/span> edition<\/em>. \u201cMaybe we will remove one of these tears,\u201d says Gunneweg. \u201cBecause not everything is terrible, obviously. We are facing a new and exciting time, just like you guys in Amsterdam.\u201d<\/p>\n

We are at Erasmus University\u2019s campus, talking to Gunneweg and Bardoel, the editor-in-chief of Univers<\/em> (Tilburg University). Earlier this year, Bardoel succeeded Gunneweg as the Chair of the Association of Editors-in-Chief of Media in Higher Education.<\/p>\n

What we will be discussing is four propositions. Let\u2019s start with a topical subject\u2026<\/p>\n

Altan Erdogan: \u201cMagazines printed on paper are obsolete\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Francine Bardoel: \u201cGeez, thanks. We\u2019re still publishing them, you know!!\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cAllow me to finish my proposition: \u2026 because for media in higher education, the future will be on-line. Erasmus Magazine<\/em>, Folia<\/em> and soon HvanA<\/em> will all be on-line magazines soon. Is Univers<\/em> not quite ready for that yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

FB: \u201cUnivers<\/em> values the visibility of its product, hence the actual magazines. We only print three thousand of them \u2013 for an audience of about fourteen thousand \u2013 since we do not wish to waste any paper. Like our excellent website, it is a calling card. It is good for brand awareness. Especially for older students and our own employees.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wieneke Gunneweg: \u201cAlthough Erasmus Magazine<\/em> will no longer be printed, magazines are not obsolete. Printed magazines provide a completely different experience and are indeed important for the sake of visibility. In a magazine, you can combine text and images to great effect, or create themed issues. But it\u2019s also nice to focus on a website with a relatively small number of editors. If you continue to do it all, it will take its toll. Quality will suffer, some way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSanne van der Most<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

AE: \u201cI, too, continue to be a great proponent of printed magazines, and as a creator of magazines, I feel my heart bleed at the thought that this will be the final printed issue of Folia<\/em> for the time being. It is mostly a financial issue. In addition, too many copies stay in their distribution boxes unread. That is not environmentally friendly, and in addition, we want the money to be spent efficiently. University of applied sciences students, in particular, don\u2019t read much printed matter. They mainly read our on-line media and social media. That said, I do expect to receive a lot of reactions to our momentous decision to stop printing the magazine.\u201d<\/p>\n

FB: \u201cI must admit: for financial reasons, we\u2019ve had to let go of a lot of creative things that used to be printed in our magazines. We are using cheaper paper, and everything must be done according to established lines.\u201d<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cI\u2019m glad we don\u2019t have to turn a profit, like commercial publishing houses. We can use our money to improve our media. But to say, \u2018Let\u2019s get rid of printed magazines because it will be much cheaper that way\u2026\u2019 That\u2019s not entirely true. You will spend additional money on other things. Posting on social media, advertising on Facebook, creating more images and videos that cost a lot more money, you name it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Our editorial teams constitute a journalistic watchdog for universities and universities of applied sciences. Proposition no. 2: This position is being jeopardised.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

FB: \u201cUniversities would like their magazines to be less of a watchdog and more of a PR or communications tool. They want fewer critical stories, and more nice and positive articles. By the way, the outside world is not aware of this threat.\u201d<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cThat\u2019s no problem. We do not write our stories for the outside world. We primarily write them for our students and employees.\u201d<\/p>\n

FB: \u201cA bit of attention for this issue wouldn\u2019t hurt. For instance, media in higher education do not get a mention in the Cabinet\u2019s policy. For this reason I wrote a letter to the Cabinet on behalf of the editors-in-chief, in order to clarify our position.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u201c\u2018Aren\u2019t you our magazine? Why do you always have to be so negative?\u2019 is what the employees will tell me. That sort of attitude is not for me.\u201d\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t–<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWieneke Gunneweg\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n
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WG: \u201cOur readers often can\u2019t tell the difference between a message by our Marketing department and our stories. That\u2019s worrying. Maybe it\u2019s our fault. It is causing me to take a critical look at our stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cOr to explain better what it is we are doing. These days, with all these discussions on fake news and all that, you can\u2019t just assume that students will trust the information we provide.\u201d<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cThat is true for the university\u2019s own employees, as well. \u2018Aren\u2019t you our<\/em> magazine? Why do you always have to be so negative?\u2019 is what the employees will tell me. That sort of attitude is not for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

FB: \u201cWe do both, don\u2019t we? We also write about academics when they win fabulous awards. And positive news is highly appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cWe conducted a survey among our readers, asking them whether Erasmus Magazine<\/em> was successful at being independent. Seventy-five percent of respondents said \u2018Yes\u2019, and sixty percent said we were \u2018sufficiently\u2019 successful at being critical.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u2018In theory, that independence is guaranteed.<\/span> But in practice, with every new topic you always have to defend that independence against the institution.<\/span> You have to be strong as editors.<\/span> That\u2019s part of the job, and I don\u2019t want to bother my readers with that. \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

FB: \u2018Yes, but that sometimes means it takes so much time to finish an article. Look at <\/span>television journalists, for example. When interviewees want to watch the montage, they tell them: are you crazy!<\/span> If you compare that to how often they want to proofread our interviews\u2026 How is Folia doing, does the university recognize your role as a watchdog ?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

AE: \u2018Yes. We hope that this will not change, because our universities and colleges are supposed to educate people with the idea that they can think independently, as critical students and citizens.<\/span> For the institutions, it is therefore also very important that we are there. \u2018<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cIn fact, that is in our mission, for that we are on earth.<\/span> If you want to train people to think critically, you should also facilitate that. \u2018<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Wieneke Gunneweg (EM), Altan Erdogan (Folia) and Francine Bardoel (Univers).<\/span><\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSanne van der Most<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Which brings us to money. Proposition no. 3 is as follows: There is less money available to all media in tertiary education. Will our type of journalism survive?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

WG: \u201cMoney is part of it, but I\u2019m also seeing a different threat. More and more universities and universities of applied sciences are establishing their own newsrooms, where people with a marketing and communications background and editors tell the school\u2019s story using journalistic tools. They write the same stories we do. They visit the campus to get some students to respond or to interview scientists.<\/p>\n

They are operating from a very different premise, though. Their job is to advertise the university to prospective students or to companies that may help fund scientific research. They are entitled to do so, but they are impinging on our raison d\u2019\u00eatre. We are at cross purposes. Such newsrooms often have a larger budget, which gives them a distinct advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cI\u2019m not aware of this phenomenon occurring in Amsterdam. I do know that major corporations have been doing this for a while, by way of publicity strategy. Do you have anything like that in Tilburg?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u201cWe\u2019ve had quite the discussion about safe spaces at our university. Is uni a safe environment if everyone is allowed to voice their opinions?\u201d\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t–<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrancien Bardoel\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

FB: \u201cWe had one such newsroom, and Univers<\/em> outplayed it. With an absolutely tiny team.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cReally? How did they do it?\u201d<\/p>\n

FB: \u201cBy presenting one story after the other and by being quicker and having deeper content. Communication and journalism are different professions.\u201d<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cIt also strengthens our raison d\u2019\u00eatre. We must make more of the fact that we are independent. And we will discuss things with the newsroom to make sure we aren\u2019t doing things they are doing, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cThat is one of our objectives: to get better at drawing a line between communication and journalism, and to collaborate with the University of Amsterdam and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences where possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cBe careful with that. Before you know it, the powers that be will say, \u2018If there is so much overlap between the two of you, you might as well be merged.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

FB: \u201cI hear that some editors are pulled into the communication side of things, which means increased budgets and facilities. But the editorial charter will disappear, and there will be all sorts of restrictions content-wise.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cSo how to deal with this sort of thing when you budget is being cut all the time? It makes us vulnerable, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cIt does. Because you don\u2019t want be forced into a position where you\u2019re just an angry little magazine.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cNo, because then the watchdog will turn into an annoying yappy dog that everyone simply ignores.\u201d<\/p>\n

We are all paid by the universities we write about. Proposition no. 4: Universities and universities of applied sciences are allowed to have a say in what we publish, particularly if it may harm the university.<\/strong><\/p>\n

FB: \u201dMay I be the first to answer this one? I looked up the editorial charters of several magazines and I found that this is couched in vague phrasing. Such clauses, featuring exceptions, are often abused, although educational institutions will never do so overtly. And who is to decide what causes harm to a university? Did our university receive fewer enrolments because we wrote about Diederik Stapel [the full professor who committed fraud \u2013 ed.]<\/em>, or rather because Stapel used to work at our university? I think the latter was to blame. That case would have been publicised anyway, even if we hadn\u2019t done so.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cHow did that go back then?\u201d<\/p>\n

FB: \u201cInitially, we were asked not to mention it for twenty-four hours. We acceded to that request, because we weren\u2019t in possession of all the facts. So I told the Communications people, \u2018All right, but after twenty-four hours we will go ahead and publish.\u2019 They then again tried to stop us from publishing it, after which we were at loggerheads for a month. In the end, the rector said that it was our job to write about that sort of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u201cWhat we will often do is give people who are angry the opportunity to write an opinion piece on the subject. That\u2019s fine with us.\u201d\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t–<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrancine Bardoel\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

AE: \u201cWhat is that like at Erasmus University? Have you ever refrained from publishing something because it might harm the university?\u201d<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cNo. Although I do remember a few negotiations where I felt, \u2018Well, I\u2019d rather have something than nothing at all.\u2019 So I published what we could.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cI recognise that. You don\u2019t want to turn your back on the university when dealing with a sensitive matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cWe had the Tariq Ramadan case here. We spent a lot of time on the phone discussing that. Ramadan was a visiting professor here, although he was in the municipal authorities\u2019 employ. He was fired by the university rather suddenly, and it was quite the mess. And prior to that, there was a story about a professor who had felt up young boys. My predecessor was pressured into not doing anything with that story. It was then published by De Telegraaf<\/em>. Sometimes it helps to have national media write about a case. We can then handle the case in our own way.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cOur editorial charter states that one of our goals is to keep the community of our university and university of applied sciences together. We play a different role than the national media. Sometimes it\u2019s like hyper-regional journalism. You\u2019ll write a piece on the bakery around the corner, and a little later, the baker will show up and tell you exactly how he feels about it. Our audience responds very emotionally to our columnists.\u201d<\/p>\n

FB: \u201cColumnists\u2019 freedom of speech, that\u2019s something our target group has difficulty accepting. Many people have a very thin skin. They feel personally attacked or get angry when things are not described in Univers<\/em> in a politically correct manner. For instance, we\u2019ve had quite the discussion about safe spaces at our university. Is uni a safe environment when everyone is allowed to express their opinions, or is it safe when more people refrain from speaking their mind? I think the former, but people are quick to call things racist or sexist these days. You can\u2019t even use the word \u2018girls\u201d anymore without being called a sexist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u201cWhen we write that chocolate packaging is being removed from cafeterias because it displays Black Pete, we open up a huge can of worms.\u201d\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t–<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAltan Erdogan\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

AE: \u201cWe get that sort of thing in Amsterdam when we discuss diversity: race, gender, gender equality. When we write that chocolate packaging is being removed from cafeterias because it displays Black Pete, and GeenStijl<\/em> picks up on this story, we open up a huge can of worms. We\u2019ll be spending the rest of the week moderating our media to remove all racist comments or ad hominems. At Folia<\/em> and HvanA<\/em>, we\u2019re looking at how to change this.\u201d<\/p>\n

FB: \u201cOr sex, as with #metoo. We only allow comments on Facebook, thus reducing the number of nasty altercations. And I see many comments in defence of us \u2013 comments defending freedom of the press, freedom of speech and our independence.\u201d<\/p>\n

AE: \u201cYou want as many students, employees, scientists and lecturers as possible to enter into a high-quality discussion.\u201d<\/p>\n

FB: \u201cWhat we will often do is give people who are angry the opportunity to write an opinion piece on the subject. That\u2019s fine with us. In fact, we really like it when they do. It enriches our medium.\u201d<\/p>\n

WG: \u201cBecause our community isn\u2019t all that large, we hope that people will keep each other\u2019s heads straight and make sure that no one flies off the handle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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