This month, the Spectator has seen a dramatic influx of reader feedback. First, this increase in engagement has reinforced that we’re covering issues that the Seattle University community is both interested and invested in. Second, this indicates that readers care about the way the Spectator writes about these issues and have a desire to contribute to the coverage.
Increased engagement is healthy for fostering a stronger community and helpful in providing feedback for our staff. We take the feedback we receive into careful consideration when we publish each issue. The Spectator’s unique position allows us to be hyper-local and engaged with a niche audience, and we love to hear from you.
We recognize our limitations as a newspaper. Perspectives do not exist as a binary. Not only are there often “two sides to an issue,” but there are almost always a multitude of voices that go unheard, even when we are our most intentional and mindful about variety in sources. Word counts and page limits restrict us to employing methods of careful inclusion, but we celebrate when readers supply us with their voices.
Social media engagement, letters to the editor and in-person responses are just a few ways that we interact with readers every week (but we’re always tossing up more creative avenues of accessibility and we’re open to suggestions).
It’s our role to serve as a platform for the Seattle U community to share in moments of grief, celebration and protest. Amid a complex political landscape, civic engagement is changing. e current demographics of public demonstrations, voter turnout and online debates are indicative of a shift in political activity. We hope that the Spectator is embraced as a primary source of information and discussion, especially for Seattle U issues.
By specializing in news that impacts our readers directly, we aim to be the most effective Spectator team to date. We recognize that our direct access gives us the community lead in Seattle U-specific reporting.
We hope that you will continue to support the Spectator in cultivating a conscientious climate. Echoing the Jesuit values of the community we serve, we have the power to foster a more just and humane world when you help us share your story.
— The Spectator Editorial Board
