Daily Wildcat Competing In College Media March Madness Contest

TUCSON, AZ — There's a bit of March Madness going on in student newspaper newsrooms across the country.

That's because Syracuse University's The Daily Orange newspaper launched a competition, dubbed College Media Madness, where 25 college newspapers contend to raise the most money for their publications.

So far, the 25 publications have raised more than $23,000, with the University of Arizona's The Daily Wildcat currently ranked sixth overall.

The Daily Wildcat has raised $1,220 to-date from 12 donors, according to College Media Madness' site, ranking it just behind the University of Illinois' The Daily Illini in the contest.

Brett Fera, who is the director of Arizona Student Media, discussed the importance of supporting student-run publications right now, especially given the ever-decreasing sum given out by the universities that they cover.

"It’s been a blast so far," Fera said in an email. "The Wildcat has an amazing alumni base that’s supported these students so much over the past few years – but really for decades and decades.

"I’m one of those alumni, and while it’s early, I’m so impressed by how these folks show up when our students come calling. But there’s a long way to go, still. I hope the Wildcat can keep pace!"

Fera said the competition has taken on even more importance to Wildcats' staff of nearly 100 students, given the harsh realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Daily Wildcat staff – nearly 100 of them – haven’t stepped foot in the newsroom in any way, shape or form for 370 days," Fera said. "Yet they continue to grow and learn and really serve their community. This competition just allows the Wildcat and all of the other schools to put that even more on display."

Above all, Fera wants everyone to know that the Daily Wildcat's staff are as professional as any newsroom in America, despite being made up of college students.

"They may be students, but they’re as professional as it gets," Fera said. "Even as doing that job has become that much harder in recent years, with both financial setbacks to the news media industry and the national discussion points on the value news organizations play."

Fera said the staff's steadfast commitment to journalism during a time of pandemic and economic hardship says a lot about the makeup of the people that keep the news flowing on the Tucson campus.

"I’m so proud of their ability to turn this massive life-altering event into as close to a positive outcome as one could imagine – at least in terms of their coverage and their ability to learn new ways to get really good at their craft," Fera said.

“You better believe if the Wildcat ends up in the Final Four here or better, we’ll find a way to hang a banner celebrating in the newsroom, just like they would in McKale Center. Count on it.”