A national paper for students launched last week, produced by a company owned entirely by students, writes Jean Morgan.
The National Student, from Lincoln-based Defender Newspapers, is edited by Alex Walker, 20, and will appear monthly during term time.
It will be free at all universities and have a distribution of 250,000. There is also a website, www.national-student.co.uk.
The newspaper’s team is working closely with existing student newspapers and magazines to establish a news network and is using student writers from all over the country. Entirely independent, The National Student is funded through advertising revenue.
Walker said: “As far as we know, nobody has ever produced anything like this before. We are confident it will be a great success. Students need their own newspaper, now more than ever, with all that is going on in higher education. “
The April issue features an article by NUS national president Mandy Telford on government plans for higher education and an investigation into under-representation of black students at Cambridge. The newspaper pays up to £50 for articles and photographs.
Defender Newspapers first found success with The Defender, an independent paper for students at the University of Lincoln, where many of the team are currently studying.
Jean Morgan
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog