The Sungkyun Times

"Paints the dream of collegian, shows the vision of society, makes an effort for outsiders rather than just insiders, and reports the actual news about events. We, the Unews try to make a beautiful world like this."

Unews (www.unews.co.kr) issued its initial edition as an Internet newspaper with 2200 ex-and-present student reporters on March 5 with the purpose of being an alternative press as stated above in its promotional materials. Unews has gotten lots of attention from many journalists and NGOs lately as an alternative press because it offers a place where the university presses of Korean come together. "Unews is expected to be a professional media about university life that harmonizes the youthful aspirations of graduated reporters and the desirable social consciousness of collegian reporters. We carry out the functions of an alternative press through the online media without the burden of money." Park Jong-jin, managing chief of Unews, said. Unews will be a meaningful site as the place for harmony among many reporters, and a new press against the many conservative ones.

So, Unews has a progressive viewpoint contrasting with the existing press. About this, Um Sung-sik, report team staff, said, "The youths have the motive and power to grow and develop. In the serious antagonism between progressive and conservative elements, Unews has fresh viewpoints that stand for the former."

This view reveals itself in the contents of the web site. Unews pursues three spirits: On-the-spot, People, and Journalism.

As for the first, on the spot, Unews is composed of fresh articles on campus affairs and social affairs in reality. Most of the established newspapers don't report the reality of university life; if anything, the affairs of universities such as the demonstrations against rising tuition fees and sexual harassment on campus are carried just briefly. But in the Unews, all the collegians can write their opinions in a report type through the 'Writing board'. So, readers can connect with on-the-spot university affairs very rapidly. For example, on the board you can see the article written by a student of Hanyang University with the title: "What's up, freshmen?" In this writing, readers can catch the thoughts of freshmen about alcohol, the opposite sex, orientation, and meetings, among other things. "I had the unusual memory of bottoming up alcohol in bowls for the first time at orientation." Like this comment of a freshman, Unews offers fresh news to their readers.

As for the second section, People, Unews offers the articles related with the tragedies of people, especially about unification. Unews reporters interview dispersed families and laborers. "I feel serious problems when I miss my family in the North. I want to embrace my wife if she is alive.” In this interview, readers can understand outsiders and people in pain.

For the third section, Journalism, netizens can see the various articles by collegians. In the content 'online university newspaper,' collegians can see the weekly news on campus. In other contents such as Data Bank and Information, Unews offers a photo gallery, the prize work of a literary contest, campus festivals, and employment opportunities that are related with a university.

And there are columns written by the working-in-the-field professional reporters such as U columns and Serial Record. As for the U column, the articles such as North and South Korea Summit, Song About Unification, and Trouble Between America and North Korea, fill the board. The Serial Record mostly deals with the history of Korean society. At present, there are two serial records in this column on the activities for unification and on the campus life in the past. "In the festival, freshmen couldn't come in the discotheque without female friends. Then, I went there with my sister." Through this article, readers can know about university culture in the past contrasting it with that in the present.

But Unews reveals some limitations in the sense of its orientation. Unews is criticized for its one-sidedness. A reader, Kim Tae-su, said, "I am worried about Unews, because it has a somewhat left-wing character. Unews must be the center for all collegians. When it is biased, many collegians would hesitate to visit this web-site.” Some feel that Unews thus needs to offer the various viewpoints and subjects for all collegians.

In the end, Unews is first attempt online for the union of a university press. So, Unews has endless possibilities for improvement and is expected to allow many collegians to discuss university affairs. It is also expected that Unews will proceed with its plans while not forgetting
its initial spirit. Good luck to Unews!!!