The Royal Purple is the independent, student-run and award winning weekly newspaper of the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. Begun in 1901, it originally was a monthly literary magazine for the Whitewater Normal School. The original staff included seven editors and four reporters. Over the years, it has evolved into a weekly newspaper complete with an advertising and business staff, as well as an editorial staff with 14 members.
Contents
The goal of the newspaper is to provide students and Whitewater residents with campus and community news. The current sections of the newspaper are News, Biz & Tech, Opinion, Lifestyle, Arts & Rec, and Sports. The paper appears in newsstands on Wednesdays. The paper currently has a circulation of 7,000.
In addition to offering employees the chance to get acquainted with the journalism industry, the newspaper also gives them the chance to advance to editorial and business management positions. Staff writers can receive course credit for their work on the paper, or apply to join a paid position.
History
The newspaper began as monthly literary magazine until it became a weekly newspaper on April 1, 1913. The four-page paper sold subscriptions for 75 cents per year. In May 1928, credit points started to be given for those working for the Royal Purple. The newspaper began to provide free newspapers for university students this year. Subscriptions were still offered to non-students and are still offered to this day.
The newspaper has switched between a bi-weekly and weekly newspaper over the course of its history. In 1992, the Royal Purple switched back to being a weekly newspaper and made the change from a broadsheet to tabloid style production. The word “The” in front of Royal Purple has also been switched in and out over the newspaper’s life. Color debuted on the front page for the first time in spring 1999.
An online edition of the Royal Purple made its first appearance in February 2000. It was known as www.purpleonline.com. A new website, www.royalpurplenews.com was debuted in 2007. The website will see it second upgrade in the summer of 2016.
Awards
Wisconsin Newspaper Association 2nd Place General Excellence Award 2015
Current staff
The current staff of the Royal Purple consists of
Articles
The Royal Purple has had a few high profile articles that have made national news since its inception. One of these occurred in April 2009. The newspaper has normally had a stable relationship with the UW-Whitewater athletics program which has become a national power in football in recent years. The relationship was shattered on Wednesday, April 22 when head football coach Lance Leipold barred the newspaper from covering the football team. Leipold was upset over an article run in the newspaper titled "Athletes need a reality check," by Michael Daly. Leipold subsequently barred the newspaper from covering the team. After receiving backlash from the general public, Leipold relented in his ban on newspaper coverage. Leipold was reprimanded by athletic director Paul Plinkse and chancellor Richard Telfer.