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Muzzled Watchdog: U of Memphis Slashes Student Newspaper's Funding Because of Reporting

3,147 views · Published 23 January 2014 · 4:12 · Indexed 5 October 2026

Channel: FIRE · 2014 · Nonprofits & Activism

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On most college campuses, the student newspaper is entrusted with reporting on issues important to the campus community and with holding powerful campus authorities accountable. But after the student newspaper at the University of Memphis found its budget slashed by $25,000 because the student government and university administration didn't like the paper's critical, investigative reporting on their activities, The Daily Helmsman's role as a campus watchdog was threatened.

Chelsea Boozer was editor-in-chief of The Daily Helmsman when the paper's budget was cut in May 2012. In an interview with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, Boozer talks about the events leading up to the paper's funding cut and how the actions taken by the student government and administration posed dire threats to a free campus press and nearly put the 81-year-old, student-run newspaper out of business.

Music: "Lillas" and "Drink the Night" by Hazelmain - Magnatune Records

Muzzled Watchdog: U of Memphis Slashes Student Newspaper's Funding Because of Reporting

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