Listen Here
Column by Victoria Hansen
hansenv@findlay.edu
I would like to begin by saying how grateful I am to be the new managing editor for the Pulse. I am Victoria Hansen, and I am a junior majoring in journalism/digital media and religious studies. If you’ve seen me around campus, then you know that I am passionate about the Pulse in all of its forms.
I started working for 88.3 WLFC radio in January of 2024 and writing for the Pulse in the fall of that year. I had the honor of working under the guidance of our previous editor, Kendall Westgate, and our advisor, Professor Amy Rogan. They have both instilled into me an appreciation for good writing, journalism, and the freedom of the press.
If you go down to the computer lab in the Egner building, you’ll see a sign with the First Amendment on the wall. It sates that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Thanks to the protections granted to us by the First Amendment in the U.S., journalism has become known as the fourth estate or the fourth branch of government. In high school civics class, we are taught that the government works through checks and balances. The executive branch cannot use its funds without the legislative branch’s approval, the legislative branch cannot pass laws without the executive’s signature, and the judicial branch has the power to stop either branch if what they are doing is unconstitutional. It is the job of the press, the fourth estate, to keep all three branches accountable to the American people.
As student journalists, we have the honor of being the heirs of the fourth estate. As students, we have access to experts in all sorts of fields and the ability to see the world from a fresh perspective. This youth and comparative inexperience does not negate that we are also journalists, searching for the signal in the noise and the truth in the chaos. In a time when only 31% of Americans trust the media, it is our job to be bold and search for the truth, no matter where it goes, how hard it is, and unpopular it may be. As the government becomes more and more hostile towards journalists, it is our duty to hold them accountable and be accountable ourselves.
Anyone with a phone, laptop, or pencil has the potential to be a journalist. You only need a commitment to facts and a willingness to learn how true journalism works to become an heir of the fourth estate. The Pulse invites anyone with a passion for truth, transparency, and accountability to become a student journalist. Contact me at hansenv@findlay.edu or Prof. Rogan at rogan@findlay.edu to find out more.
We are also always looking for tips, articles, and columns from UF students. The Pulse is your paper. Let us know what you want to see.
Once again thank you for this opportunity. The Pulse is an award-winning paper with passionate voices and loyal readers and I hope to continue its legacy of providing timely, relevant news to UF, the greater community, and beyond.
