By Ann Hardie
For the AJC
Late last Tuesday night, Polina Marinova was at her home in Athens — the office of The Red and Black, the University of Georgia’s independent student newspaper. As editor-in-chief, Marinova, who grew up in Sandy Springs, easily spends more time putting the daily out than hitting the books (sorry mom and dad). “I just love this place so much,” said Marinova, a senior who joined the paper her freshman year. Even so, in August, Marinova, along with some of her staff, resigned in protest after members of the editorial board, who are not students, decided stories and other content had to be approved prior to publication by an editorial director, also not a student. The Red and Black had been totally student-run and self-funded since 1980. Five days later, following national attention of the walkout and the resignation of several board members, Marinova and her staff were back at their jobs and The Red and Black was back to being an independent student newspaper. Having just finished proofing pages — first things first — Marinova took time to talk about the experience and why she is happy to be “home.”
Q: You call yourself a typical journalism student. What does that mean?
A: I spend all of my time at the newspaper office and I drink coffee all the time. I get very little sleep.
Q: When did you get the news bug?
A: One of the first things I read when I was little was a newspaper headline. I was in the science magnate program at North Springs High School but I realized I liked writing the lab reports more than doing experiments. I joined the student newspaper there.
Q: What’s the real story behind the board’s move to have content approved before publication?
A: A lot of things. The Red and Black hasn’t been doing as well financially as it has been in past years. The board had apparently voted to implement some things that would make it more viable and prominent on campus. Photographers, for instance, were being asked to take posed photos to drive traffic to the website. I felt like the integrity of the institution had been compromised.
Q: Why did you feel you had to step down?
A: I saw this memo written by a board member about the duties and responsibilities of a new editorial director. One would have been prior review of content. I didn’t feel like I could represent The Red and Black if that happened.
Q: Why not?
A: For all of these years, I believe students have made this paper what it is. Even if we loved the editorial director, there were future staffs to think about.
Q: What would you tell folks who say, “It’s just a college newspaper. What’s the big deal?”
A: Many students have worked so hard to get The Red and Black where it is — it is a newsroom that has been covering the UGA and the Athens community since 1893. It also serves a watchdog.
Q: Were you really prepared to walk away for good?
A: It was so hard to leave, but I really didn’t feel it was appropriate for me to stay.
Q: Others walked out with you?
A: When I told the top editors that I no longer could represent The Red and Black, one by one they resigned. It was crazy.
Q: How did that make you feel?
A: When you have a really good relationship with your staff, they will stand behind you. I stand behind them.
Q: Why did you come back?
A: We wanted three things —no prior review, more student input on the board and more editorial control. We got them. The board promised us two seats. They don’t have voting power but I still think it is important that there be student input on the board of the student newspaper. I am confident we can start moving in a positive direction.
Q: Given what you’ve been through and the pressures other journalism outlets face, do you still aspire to be a journalist?
A: Absolutely. Those of us in journalism aren’t in it for the money but we feel strongly about what we do. When that is challenged, you just have to stand up for yourself.
The Sunday conversation is edited for length and clarity. Writer Ann Hardie can be reached by email at ann.hardie@ymail.com.
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