Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Viewpoints Friday, November 3, 2000 tOlC 03MCOCK Page 5 October 23,1981 - Staff Editorial Gamecock needs alumni funding Without money to grease the ever-winding cogs of the media, the business would grind to a halt while the broadcast word and televised event evapo rated - leaving only printed fos sils to fade and flake away. Journalism is a free enter prise which attracts and refines individual skills, thus perpetuat ing the media within the free state. It's a business in which competition necessitates accura cy and depth in reporting. On the USC campus, The Gamecock is the students' news papers. We also need to attract individuals whose skills will improve your paper. Recently, however, Student _*_1_I_ 'JU* C/1 illUC-m IVAlUVCAi V/UI chances of bringing fresh talent to the newsroom. But before we yield to the designs of outsiders who intentionally or uninten tionally apply financial pressure, we will exhaust all possibilities of independent survival. The Gamecock, although by no means in serious financial trouble, is faced with a situation grave enough to adversely affect the quality of material printed on our pages. We are preparing to exhaust yet another possibility to improve our situation. When USC president Holderman signed the Student Government allocations bill Oct. 14, The Gamecock newspaper realized its on-campus fight to pay reporters and photographers was over. "Other students in other organizations don’t get paid; Why should they?" That was the argument put forth by Student Senate Finance Committee members and the argument that most likely ran through Holderman's mind when he O.K.'d Gamecock allocations. The problem is not that we didn't get enough money: The Gamecock was allocated $56,768. But we were refused money to pay reporters and pho tographers. Instead, the Senate Finance Committee saw fit to direct about $20,000 of the total allocation toward purchasing and installing three video display ter minals. These machines, once installed, will allow us to type a story directly into a computer ized printer, thereby saving time and money by eliminating two state-paid production jobs. Yet, because of Student Government's good, though mis guided, intention, The Gamecock is forced to slow its progress. Although experience is an excellent incentive for jour nalism majors and those who wish to write and shoot pictures, it is unrealistic to believe stu dents will work long hours with no pay. Although The Gamecock's editors and assistant editors receive stipends, set salaries, we have always managed to pay reporters $5 per story and pho tographers $2.50 per picture. We always managed without three VTYT'c Hnu/wor m/o aro nnt allowed in any way to transfer the allotted funds to reporters and photographers. The Gamecock in its alloca tions fight tried the various cam pus channels searching for a solution to our problem. As it has happened so often in the past, we found closed doors and closed minds. The staff at one point voted to strike. The motion was defeated 21-6. Now we only hope to pro cure the funds we need from off campus sources. In this editorial, The Gamecock staff openly requests financial aid from con cerned USC alumni. It is hoped this plea for help from a crippled institution will not be confused with the ravings of dissatisfied students. With the money needed to pay reporters and photographers the quality of the paper will not suffer and this student newspaper can once again wash its hands of the mess caused by ignorant interlopers. Editor’s note: In 1981, The Gamecock increased its publica tion to four days a week. Most of the staff quit after the first semester of the year once their workload increased, and staff decreased. Only three members of the original fall staff remained at the end of the academic year. The very next school year, The Gamecock reduced its publica tion to three times a week. Still, nearly 20 years later and with a larger newspaper, no staff writer or staffphotographer of The Gamecock is paid November 4,1988 Continue tradition wear black to game Well, I’m going to do my "voice in the wilder-, ness" thing and try to do what I did last year at the Clemson game. reckoned with. And we did it on national TV, just like this weekend, so it’s kind of like a tradition, don’t you think? Back then, we had a neat system on offense — use Aller Mitchell at quarterback until he got tired, hurt or screw up, then put in USC’s sparkplug — Mike Hold. Hold was an excil ing quarterback. He played exciting, risky football, and he got excited by the plays him self. And maybe you didn’t notice the way the gamecocks played against N.C. State last weekend, but they're all getting excited these days. They play professionally most of the time without too much emotion. But Saturday, they were all fired up, it seemed. Even Todd Ellis, the most professional of all our players, started using his fingers to shoot at the N.C. State sideline "I guess I just got excited," he said Monday in the Gambrell Hall Lobby. And there’s nothing wron| with that. I would rather watcl an excited team than a profes sional team play on any Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday night. And these guys are both But we can add some excitement ourselves, if we were to wear black. All over. Think of the wave. Were it all black, what would they say on television. "The fans are starting the wave, here, and it looks like a black tidal wave all over the stadium. Yes, these fans are certainly a big part of this game." "You ’re right, Kevin. I talked to Coach Bobby Bowden and he said he hates to play in Williams-Brice. They try to prepare for the noise level, but he said ‘Even playing Spinal Tap on level 11 on the stadium’s loudspeakers is use less. ’ These are some loud, rowdy, actively involved fans." And it’s all true. They can’t prepare for us. Especially ; the student sections. I once talked to a guy who played for , Georgia a few years back, and he said he hated Williatn-Brice, but especially the South Stands, where the students and the band are. Get with the program guys'. Wear black. You won’t regret it. Oh, my prediction —USC by 2 points. I’m thinking Bobby Bowden will twice try a ; two-point conversion and fail both times. Or, with the new rule, we’ll deflect a field goal attempt and return it for two points. And win. And everyone be aware — Coach Bowden is going for the win, anyway he can. It should be a good game. It should be an exciting game. I would really like to see black at Saturday’s game. Loads of it. From sea to shinning sea, from the West Upper to the non-visiting sec tions of the East Upper. You know, a black mass sprinkled with some of the red and yellow/gold of the Seminoles is just what we need. But just a few sprinkles USC fans, students and non-students, went all out in black only once before. I mean, once where it was really kinda intimidating. it was in 1^84 tor a tele vised football game. Seems that the then undefeated Gamecocks, coming out of nowhere to become something of a national sensation that year, were going to take on some boys from Tallahassee. Yup, you guessed, it was the Florida State game, one of the biggest wins in USC histo ry. It, and the earlier defeat of Georgia that same season, sig naled to the nation that the Gamecocks were a force to be Stephen GuiKoyle „ntent *»£ 2?'\ con‘P''Jonathan Dun**"' \ Ua'-°nde‘ \