On this Student Press Freedom Day, the OU Daily would like to take a moment to express our appreciation for our readers and reaffirm our commitment to our mission.
Feb. 27 is the eighth annual Student Press Freedom Day, a way of recognizing the challenges student journalists face and bringing awareness to our First Amendment freedoms. OU Daily is an independent publication on the Norman campus of the University of Oklahoma, serving campus and city readers since our first issue on Sept. 18, 1916.
108 years later, the journalists at the Daily are still committed to the values we’ve had since the beginning: to be accurate, timely, accountable, independent and transparent in creating work that serves and engages all facets of our community.
Read from OU Daily editors about our goals as an organization, our achievements this year and our commitment to our readers.
Peggy Dodd, editor-in-chief
I attended my first city council meeting in August 2021. Within the first few minutes, I realized how engaged residents are within their community and local government, and I began a mission to tell stories that reflected that observation. Since then, I’ve sat out to deepen OU Daily’s coverage of the city of Norman, an effort I hope the community finds to be successful and helpful.
At the Daily, we strive to find truth in all stories, just as the alumni who came before us valued. This semester, we’ve sought to cover elections, pivotal moments in OU’s history and a changing Norman landscape. We’ve expanded our presence in video and social media spaces, delivering breaking news videos on inclement weather as well as moments after elected officials learn voters’ decisions on who’ll lead our city next.
OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. and OU Daily editor-in-chief Peggy Dodd during a sit-down interview on Sept. 25.
This year, our work can be highlighted through several projects, including our coverage of the November general election, the February municipal election, the death of former OU President David Boren, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s ACCESS Oklahoma project and the ongoings in the Rock Creek Entertainment District and subsequent petition.
In the next few weeks, we’ll continue this work by producing multimedia enterprise projects commemorating two upcoming milestones: 10 years since the Sigma Alpha Epsilon viral racist video and following protests and 30 years since the Oklahoma City bombing.
The greatest honor in our roles is being able to serve our audience. I encourage all community members to reach out whenever they have questions or comments, whether by phone, email or catching someone wearing an OU Daily press pass on assignment.
Near the beginning of every article you read on our website, you’ll see a prompt on ways you can support our work. OU students pay about $14 in annual fees to support the Daily’s journalistic mission at a time when accurate, timely, accountable, independent and transparent reporting is vital. If you’re not a student and find value in our work, your support, whether in a one-time or recurring donation, is appreciated. Grassroots support of any amount collectively makes a difference in our operation and inspires our ongoing work.
I so deeply appreciate Normanites and OU community members for their support and engagement with our work. It’s a joy to watch younger staffers fall in love with this community as much as I have. Thank you all for reading.
Anusha Fathepure, news managing editor
Serving as news managing editor has been one of the most fulfilling roles of my life. I started at the OU Daily in the fall of my freshman year as a news intern and as I’ve grown in my role, I have also seen how this desk has grown. Every day, I watch the dedication and passion my reporters have to pursue quality journalism that serves the Norman and OU community.
News reporters pursue efficient approaches to live coverage through evolving story formats to help our audience synthesize the news as quickly and clearly as possible. This reporting style allows readers the opportunity to stay up to date on the latest city developments or Board of Regents decisions through a medium that prioritizes accessibility.
News Managing Editor Anusha Fathepure and Norman Mayor Larry Heikkila during Rock Creek Entertainment District press conference on Oct 2, 2024.
The news desk is dedicated to thorough election coverage that prioritizes accuracy and immediacy. Reporters doggedly cover Student Government Association and city council races. As the community finds itself undergoing large scale developments and changes, reporters aim to tell the deeper stories. Reporters have engaged in the difficult task of obituary writing, and we’ve opened our site to community obituary submissions free of charge.
The news desk is dedicated to telling the stories that matter to the Norman community and OU. From local issues to student life to social justice matters, reporters aim to keep the readers informed about the events shaping their daily lives and create content that resonates with the community.
Hannah Bryant, sports editor
The sports desk at the OU Daily is committed to reporting quick, accurate and interesting stories about OU sports. Our reporters prioritize thorough yet readable coverage of games for a wide audience to follow.
By posting previews early on game days and providing key highlights and takeaways postgame, the sports desk remains dedicated to keeping OU fans up to date. The goal of the desk is to ensure that anyone can visit the OU Daily website and easily find free, timely recaps of games or series, even if they weren’t able to watch them live.
The sports desk collaborates with all desks in the newsroom. As the Legislature continue to finalize rulings on NIL laws, our sports reporters work with the news desk to provide timely, contextual coverage. We also work closely with photographers and videographers to coordinate visual coverage of some of the most popular teams in our state, from OU football to Sooner softball to OU gymnastics programs.
Former sports editor Gracie Rawlings and former assistant sports editor Louis Raser being interviewed by Paul Finebaum on ESPN's SEC Network.
Madisson Cameron, culture editor
The culture desk provides insight into the happenings in Norman and OKC metro to engage students and Norman residents with the local community, arts and businesses, all while working to be better journalists.
The culture desk has significantly grown this semester. From covering musicals and campus organizations to preparing for Norman Music Festival and weekly weekend updates, we’ve been pushing our desk to produce more daily coverage in addition to work we’ve long prioritized like our annual Best of Norman Guide.
The culture desk’s vision is to highlight the hidden gems of Norman, introducing readers to new business ventures and local cuisines. The number of local businesses is constantly growing, and we hope to continue working with the community to share their stories.
This semester, we’ve covered small businesses like Mama Roja’s Norman opening, Tamashii Ramen House’s new Norman location, new coffee shop The Daily Grindz, the opening of Coaches Corner, Norman School of Ballet’s move to Main Street and Norman’s 40th Chocolate Festival.
We’ve also covered local arts and music events, both on campus during the OU School of Drama centennial celebration and the season schedule for Sooner Theatre.
We want to amplify voices in the community that are often overlooked, establish a connection with our readers and share stories of Norman and its residents.
