Student Publications Report

The University of Waterloo (UW) student run newspaper, Imprint, is in the process of re-imagining how it operates under the newly created Student Publications department within the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA). In order to deliver engaging and accessible content, Imprint is interested in learning media and news consumption trends both within the industry at large as well as the UW student community in particular. To do so, this project used four different methods: literature review, environmental scan, website analysis, and student survey, intended to help Imprint in the process of re-imagining Student Publications. The literature review provides insight into previous research that discusses the change in media trends, specifically newspapers. Similarly, the environmental scan compares current student run newspapers from universities across Canada to give Imprint a broader understanding of how competitors operate. The website analysis provides data that is intended to help Imprint improve its user experience through Imprint.ca and generate more user traffic. The last method includes the student survey which focuses on UW students’ media preferences and their relationship with Imprint.