''The Daily Princetonian'', originally known as ''The Princetonian'' and nicknamed the Prince''', is the independent daily student newspaper of

Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...

. Founded on June 14, 1876 as ''The'' ''Princetonian'', it changed its name to ''The Daily Princetonian'' in 1892. It is the second oldest daily college newspaper in the country. Owned by The Daily Princetonian Publishing Co., the paper is financially independent from the university and is produced by around 200 undergraduate students managed by an editor-in-chief and a business manager. It has a daily circulation of 2,000 and has around 30,000 daily online hits. The current

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...

, Marie-Rose Sheinerman, was elected in November 2021. Former editors and columnists of the paper include a

United States President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

, Supreme Court Justices, U.S. ambassadors, journalists at publications like ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' and ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'', and several Pulitzer Prize winners. The paper has won a Silver Crown at the Columbia Crown Awards and was a finalist for a National Pacemaker Award in 2014.

History

19th century

The ''Prince'' is the second oldest daily

college newspaper A student publication is a media outlet such as a newspaper, magazine, television show, or radio station produced by students at an educational institution. These publications typically cover local and school-related news, but they may also repor ...

in America. The paper was founded on June 14, 1876 as a biweekly publication named ''The Princetonian.'' As the college grew, the paper grew: it became a weekly in 1883 and a tri-weekly in 1885. The name would change to ''The Daily Princetonian'' when it was produced five afternoons a week in 1892; in 1895, it was produced six mornings a week. Early issues of the ''Prince'' called for unproctored examinations, a policy introduced with the implementation of the honor code system at the college in 1893. Another issue published a

telegraphic Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas p ...

report of a baseball game, one of the first times a college used a telegraph in its coverage.

20th century

Throughout the pre-

WWI World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

years, the ''Prince'' saw improvements in its coverage and editorial policy.

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

was frequently covered as both the university and later United States president. In 1910, it incorporated

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...

dispatches. It advocated for the abolition of mandatory chapel attendance, supported women's suffrage, and reinforced the ongoing revolt against the campus eating clubs. The 1920s saw the paper become more light-hearted, with the introduction of popular humorous columns, a weekly photograph supplement, and annual pieces like an April Fool's story. The 1930s saw the paper have a more serious role. It partnered with ''

The Harvard Crimson ''The Harvard Crimson'' is the student newspaper of Harvard University and was founded in 1873. Run entirely by Harvard College undergraduates, it served for many years as the only daily newspaper in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Beginning in the f ...

'' to persuade students to advocate against prohibition. It covered the ongoing world tension at the time preceding

WWII World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, opening columns for those for and against U.S. intervention. Publication was suspended in February 1943 until the conclusion of the war. After the war, the ''Prince'' covered the death of

Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...

, the election of Robert Goheen a mere three hours after the faculty meeting, and other topics regarding university administration and sports. A common topic for news and editorials were eating clubs elections and debates over their social life influence. In the 1960s, the ''Prince'' published articles on the assassination of

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

, and the subsequent week-long cancellation of university events.

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

's assassination saw the publication of letters, editorials, and more discussing his influence and further action for students. The paper continued as a progressive force, calling for coeducation and requesting increased resources targeted at minority enrollment. The ''Prince'' took a forward role in student activism against the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

, organizing events and playing a central force for a two-week recess so students could campaign for the November elections. In 1976, the paper celebrated its hundredth anniversary and held a seminar and two-day symposium.

21st century

In January 2007, the ''Prince'' caused controversy when it published a fictitious article in its joke issue, which referenced a lawsuit by Jian Li, who sued Princeton alleging that he was denied admission for being Asian. It received complaints for its purposeful use of broken English and offensive stereotypes towards Asian-Americans. The ''Prince'' issued a statement concerning its motivations and expectations for the piece, stating that it did not mean to be offensive but rather satirical. The paper's archives were digitized in 2012 and were named in honor of a long-time employee,

Larry DuPraz Larry DuPraz (1919–2006) was the long-time production supervisor of The Daily Princetonian and Princeton University's unofficial "professor of journalism." From 1946 until 1987, DuPraz oversaw production of Princeton's independent student daily ne ...

. In 2021, the paper began publishing digital articles daily and print articles weekly.

Organization

The ''Prince'' is owned by The Daily Princetonian Publishing Co., which is controlled by a Board of Trustees of mostly former Princeton editors and staffers. The organization is a registered nonprofit, and the organization and newspaper are independent from the university. The paper is produced and managed by a staff of around 200

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-le ...

students and has an annual budget of more than $70,000. Its headquarters is located at 48 University Place on Princeton University's campus. The ''Prince'' has a daily print circulation of 2,000, and its website receives roughly 30,000 daily hits. The paper is managed by an editor-in-chief and a business manager, and its staff is grouped into various sections, like news, sports, opinions, and more. In 1974, the ''Prince'' elected its first woman business manager, Judy E. Piper; in 1978, it elected its first woman editor, Anne C. Mackay-Smith. The current

is Rohit Narayanan, who was elected in December 2022.

Notable alumni and awards

Many columnists and editors for the ''Prince'' have gone on to hold prominent positions in both government, journalism, and more. Alumni include

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

Woodrow Wilson, Supreme Court Justices John M. Harlan and Elena Kagan,

Governor of Illinois The governor of Illinois is the head of government of Illinois, and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by p ...

Adlai Stevenson, first Secretary of Defense

James Forrestal James Vincent Forrestal (February 15, 1892 – May 22, 1949) was the last Cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense. Forrestal came from a very strict middle-class Irish Catholic fami ...

Secretary of the Air Force A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a wh ...

James H. Douglas, Jr., and U.S. ambassadors Livingston T. Merchant,

Jacob D. Beam Jacob Dyneley Beam (March 24, 1908 – August 16, 1993) was an American diplomat. Life and career Beam was born in Princeton, New Jersey. His father was a German professor at Princeton University, and the younger Beam earned a bachelor's deg ...

, Shelby C. Davis,

Robert H. McBride Robert Henry McBride (May 25, 1918 – December 26, 1983) was an American diplomat.< ...

, and William H. Atwood, among others. Philanthropist John D. Rockefeller III served on the paper's business board during his time at Princeton. Notable journalists and writers include Pulitzer Prize winners

Barton Gellman Barton David Gellman (born 1960) is an American author and journalist known for his reports on September 11 attacks, on Dick Cheney's vice presidency and on the global surveillance disclosure. Beginning in June 2013, he authored ''The Washington P ...

, Mark Stevens,

Annalyn Swan Annalyn Swan (born ca. 1951 in Biloxi, Mississippi) is an American writer and biographer who has written extensively about the arts. With her husband, art critic Mark Stevens, she is the author of '' de Kooning: An American Master'' (2004), a b ...

Richard Kluger Richard Kluger (born 1934) is an American author who has won a Pulitzer Prize. He focuses his writing chiefly on society, politics and history. He has been a journalist and book publisher. Early life and family Born in Paterson, New Jersey, in Se ...

, and

Robert Caro Robert Allan Caro (born October 30, 1935) is an American journalist and author known for his biographies of United States political figures Robert Moses and Lyndon B. Johnson. After working for many years as a reporter, Caro wrote '' The Power ...

. Others include ''

'' writers Joel Achenbach and

Catherine Rampell Catherine Chelsea Rampell (born November 4, 1984) is an American opinion journalist and nationally syndicated opinion columnist. Early life and education Rampell grew up in a Jewish family in South Florida, the daughter of Ellen (née Kahn), an ...

; ''

'' writers

R.W. Apple, Jr. Raymond Walter Apple Jr. (November 20, 1934 – October 4, 2006), known as Johnny Apple but bylined as R.W. Apple Jr., was a correspondent and associate editor at ''The New York Times'', where he wrote on a variety of subjects, most notably polit ...

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

, and John B. Oakes; Hamilton Fish Armstrong of '' Foreign Policy,''

Kate Betts Katherine Hadley Betts (born March 8, 1964) is an American fashion journalist. Currently she is a contributing editor at ''Time'' and ''The Daily Beast'', among other freelance writing positions, and reporting on fashion for CNN. She lives in New ...

of '' Harper's Bazaar'',

Frank Deford Benjamin Franklin Deford III (December 16, 1938 – May 28, 2017) was an American sportswriter and novelist. From 1980 until his death in 2017, he was a regular sports commentator on NPR's ''Morning Edition'' radio program. Deford wrote fo ...

of ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twi ...

,'' William Greider of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'',

John Stossel John Frank Stossel (born March 6, 1947) is an American libertarian television presenter, author, consumer journalist, and pundit. He is known for his career as a host on ABC News, Fox Business Network, and Reason TV. Stossel's style combines ...

ABC News ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...

, and more. Awards won by the ''Prince'' include a Silver Crown in the college newspaper category from the

Columbia Scholastic Press Association The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) is an international student press association, founded in 1925, whose goal is to unite student journalists and faculty advisers at schools and colleges through educational conferences, idea exchang ...

in 2012 and becoming a 2014 finalist for the Associated College Press Online National Pacemaker Award.

References

Notes

Bibliography

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