The Diamondback

{{Short description|University of Maryland student newspaper}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = The Diamondback | logo = The Diamondback logo.svg | image = Diamondback newspaper.jpg | image_size = 250px | image_border = yes | image_alt = Front page of the newspaper | caption = ''The Diamondback'' front page, May 13, 2019 | type = Weekly student newspaper | owners = Maryland Media, Inc. | format = Broadsheet | founded = 1909 | headquarters = College Park, Maryland, United States | website = {{URL|dbknews.com}} | language = English }}

'''''The Diamondback''''' is an independent student newspaper associated with the University of Maryland, College Park. It began in 1910 as ''The Triangle'' and became known as ''The Diamondback'' in 1921. ''The Diamondback'' was initially published as a daily print newspaper on weekdays until becoming a weekly online journal in 2013. It is published by Maryland Media, Inc., a non-profit organization. The newspaper receives no university funding and derives its revenue from advertising.<ref name=Sun105>{{cite news|title=University of Maryland paper's manager focus of profit dispute|newspaper=Baltimore Sun|date=October 5, 2001|page=4A}}</ref>

==History== The newspaper was founded on January 1, 1910,<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 15, 2015 |title=15 of the Most Iconic Front Pages From The Diamondback |url=https://umdarchives.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/15-of-the-most-iconic-front-pages-from-the-diamondback/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108112144/https://umdarchives.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/15-of-the-most-iconic-front-pages-from-the-diamondback/ |archive-date=2020-11-08 |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Terrapin Tales: from the University of Maryland Archives |language=en}}</ref> named ''The Triangle'' until October 14, 1914, then renamed to ''M.A.C. Weekly'' (short for ''Maryland Agriculture College Weekly'') from October 21, 1914 to May 31, 1916, then ''Maryland State Weekly'' (also known as ''M. S. Weekly'' and ''M. S. C. Weekly'') from September 1916 to January 30, 1919, then ''Maryland State Review'' from February 6, 1919 to June 10, 1920, then ''University Review'' from October 7, 1920 to May 1921, then ''The Diamondback'' since June 9, 1921.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Casey |last2=Ludewig |first2=Sara  |date=Jun 23, 2020 |orig-date=last updated Apr 2, 2024 3:11 PM |editor-last=Hughes-Watkins |editor-first=Lae'l  |title=University Archives Digital Collections: Student Newspaper Collection: The Diamondback |url=https://lib.guides.umd.edu/c.php?g=1052634&p=7741069 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502224100/https://lib.guides.umd.edu/c.php?g=1052634&p=7741069 |archive-date=2024-05-02 |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Research Guides at University of Maryland Libraries |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=About UMD Student Newspapers |url=https://digital.lib.umd.edu/student-newspapers/about-umd-student-newspapers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913074306/https://digital.lib.umd.edu/student-newspapers/about-umd-student-newspapers |archive-date=2024-09-13 |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Digital Collections @ University of Maryland Libraries}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=February 1, 2016 |title=Trick Question |url=https://umdarchives.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/trick-question/ |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228050349/https://umdarchives.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/trick-question/ |archive-date=February 28, 2025 |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Terrapin Tales: from the University of Maryland Archives |language=en }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=slivnick |date=2009-08-29 |title=Diamondback in the day |url=https://dbknews.com/2009/08/28/article_829c0f48-dc3d-5a02-a9bb-f2c94ca38f3f-html/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228050215/https://dbknews.com/2009/08/28/article_829c0f48-dc3d-5a02-a9bb-f2c94ca38f3f-html/ |archive-date=2025-02-28 |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=The Diamondback |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Brown |first=Lauren  |date=Winter 2018 |title=Good News for Old News |url=https://issuu.com/umaryland/docs/winter_2018 |access-date=2025-02-28 |department=On The Mall : Explorations |magazine=Terp |publisher=University of Maryland |page=14 |via=Issuu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Collection: ''Diamondback'' photographs / Guide to the Diamondback photographs |url=https://archives.lib.umd.edu/repositories/2/resources/1367 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250116091422/https://archives.lib.umd.edu/repositories/2/resources/1367 |archive-date=2025-01-16 |access-date=2020-09-15 |website=Archival Collections |publisher=Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries |id=Collection 0211-UA |hdl=1903.1/25001}}</ref> The newspaper was renamed to ''The Diamondback'' by Harry Clifton "Curley" Byrd<ref name="Standing the Testudo of Time">{{Cite web |date=January 12, 2024 |title=Standing the Testudo of Time |url=https://terp.umd.edu/testudooftime |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211093650/https://terp.umd.edu/testudooftime |archive-date=2024-12-11 |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Terp Magazine |language=en}}</ref> in honor of a local reptile, the Diamondback terrapin. (The terrapin became affiliated with the school's athletic program in 1933 with support from Byrd, and was officially designated as the school mascot in 1994.<ref name="Standing the Testudo of Time" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rector |first=Kevin |date= |title=A tightly kept symbol of Maryland's past |url=https://dbknews.com/0999/12/31/arc-6yci3n6frregjgwa2gqxbr7v5m/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926095204/https://dbknews.com/0999/12/31/arc-6yci3n6frregjgwa2gqxbr7v5m/ |archive-date=2023-09-26 |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=The Diamondback |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Maryland State Reptile - Diamondback Terrapin |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/symbols/html/reptile.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215065326/https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/symbols/html/reptile.html |archive-date=2025-02-15 |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Maryland Manual On-Line: a guide to Maryland & its government |publisher=Maryland State Archives |quote=The Diamondback Terrapin (''Malaclemys terrapin'') was made the State reptile and official mascot of the University of Maryland College Park in 1994 (Chapter 476, Acts of 1994; Code General Provisions Article, sec. 7-309). As mascot (also known as Testudo), the Terrapin, however, has been affiliated with the University's athletic program since 1933. |department=MARYLAND AT A GLANCE : STATE SYMBOLS}}</ref>)

In the 1930s, the newspaper was printed weekly, increasing to five times per week by the 1950s and distributed for free at various campus locations, until the Friday edition was eliminated in 2013.<ref name="Zurawik">{{cite news|first=David|last=Zurawik|author-link=David Zurawik|title=After 110 years in print, Diamondback to go online only at University of Maryland|date=September 30, 2019|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/columnists/zurawik/bs-ed-zontv-diamonback-ends-print-20190930-7qyatgx4nvesnbierrvnafta6u-story.html|access-date=January 3, 2021}}{{subscription required}}</ref> In 2015, the four days per week publication was reduced to a weekly print edition.<ref name="Zurawik" /> The change mirrored a nationwide trend in student newspapers at U.S. universities in the 2010s, such as at the University of Wisconsin, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and Arizona State, where daily print editions were dropped as readers increasingly gravitated towards social media and online news sources.<ref>{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Dunker|title=UNL student newspaper|date=April 20, 2017|page=A5|newspaper=Lincoln Journal Star}}</ref> In March, 2020, the print edition of the newspaper was discontinued altogether. By then, it was published once a week on Monday, with a print circulation of 8,000,<ref name="DBKPrintEdition">{{cite web |url=https://issuu.com/thediamondback/docs/binder2 |title=Diamondback Final Print Edition |publisher=The Diamondback Online |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref> down from a high of more than 21,000, and what used to be annual advertising revenues of more than $1 million. It was usually twelve to sixteen pages.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rcfp.org/news/documents/20020530rossignolv.html |title=Amicus brief in Rossignol v. Voorhaar |access-date=2006-11-02 |archive-date=2009-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204033110/http://www.rcfp.org/news/documents/20020530rossignolv.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=March 2022}}

Over the years, the newspaper has been noted for its willingness to challenge authority. In 1935, ''The Diamondback'' sharply criticized then-University President Raymond A. Pearson, saying in an editorial that faculty morale was deteriorating following salary cuts and the departure of highly regarded professors had resulted in lowered academic standing.<ref name=Star>{{cite news|first=George|last=Porter|title=Inquiry Ordered at Maryland U.|newspaper=Washington Evening Star|page=B-9}}</ref> In response, the Board of Regents formed a special committee for a "full investigation". Pearson defended the salary cuts as due to reduced state funding attributable to the Depression and denied that scholastic excellence had been impaired.<ref name=Star /> Pearson subsequently resigned.

In a November, 1940, editorial written in the wake of a disappointing football season, the ''Diamondback'' called for the university to provide football scholarships. Saying that state universities "cannot afford not to have a good football team", the editorial added, "the boys who play college football deserve financial aid where they need it. They work hard enough in the course of a season to qualify for pay on a full time job".<ref>{{cite news|title=Student Paper Okays Subsidy|newspaper=The Herald-Mail|location=Hagerstown, Md.|date=November 12, 1940|page=7|agency=AP}}</ref>

In 1972, the Board of Regents granted Maryland Media Inc. a non-profit charter and free office space on campus, under which the ''Diamondback'' operates independently. The newspaper receives no university funding and derives its revenue from advertising.<ref name=Sun105 />

In 1996, the ''Diamondback'' was described by Maryland's largest newspaper, ''The Baltimore Sun'', as having a "hard-edged reputation", especially when compared to student newspapers at other colleges in the state.<ref>{{cite news|title=Paper prizes restraint, not scandal|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|date=May 8, 1996|page=8B}}</ref> In 2001, a controversy erupted between ''The Diamondback'' and the university's journalism school when the ''Diamondback''{{'s}} student staff objected to the Dean of Journalism's proposal that publisher Maryland Media hire a paid editorial advisor for the newsroom, accusing the Dean of a "takeover" that would jeopardize the newspaper's independence.<ref name=Sun2001>{{cite news|title=Diamondback strikes at journalism deans, alleges takeover plan|first=Alec|last=MacGillis|date=November 2, 2001|page=2B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66844536/balto-sun-11201/|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|access-date=January 3, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}}{{open access}}</ref> The month before, the ''Baltimore Sun'' reported that Maryland Media had a $4 million surplus, with the ''Diamondback''{{'s}} non-student manager paid $179,123 and potentially earning as much as $300,000 per year, further exacerbating relations.<ref name=Sun105 /><ref name=Sun2001 />

As of 2022, ''The Diamondback'' publishes a daily digital-only edition during the school year at dbknews.com.<ref name="Diamondback Newsroom Staff 2020">{{cite web |url=https://dbknews.com/contact-us/ |title=Diamondback Newsroom Staff |publisher=The Diamondback Online |access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref> It has been independently published since 1972 by Maryland Media, a non-profit corporation. The paper's offices are located on the third floor of the South Campus Dining Hall, across from the WMUC-FM radio station and the University of Maryland's Residence Hall Association office. As of September 2019, the newspaper's editor said that ''The Diamondback''{{'s}} website had 160,000 visitors for the month.<ref name=Zurawik />

==Sections== ''The Diamondback'' is split into four sections: * News - The news section covers both on- and off-campus news, specifically in the region of College Park, Maryland, but also expands coverage to Annapolis, Maryland, when the state's legislature is in session. * Opinion - The editorial section contains ''The Diamondback's'' editorial, op-eds and letters to the editor, and editorial cartoons. * Diversions - The entertainment section contains reviews of movies and music, as well as concerts and plays around the College Park region. * Sports - The sports section covers University of Maryland athletics, including men's basketball and football. This section often has a combination of news and opinion articles.

==Awards== ''The Diamondback'' has received many awards throughout its history for categories including photography, news writing and cartoons, especially from the Society of Professional Journalists. In 1949, it was named the "Best College Newspaper" among schools having more than 6,000 students by Pi Delta Epsilon, the national honorary journalism fraternity (later the Society for Collegiate Journalists).<ref>{{cite news|title=Top Place Given to U. of M. Paper|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|agency=AP|date=June 12, 1949|page=30}}</ref>

For the 2012–2013, 2015 and 2016 school years, ''The Diamondback'' was named the "Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper" in Region 2 by the Society of Professional Journalists.<ref>{{cite web|title=Merrill Journalists Take Top Honors at SPJ Regional Conference|first=David|last=Ottalini|date=April 24, 2013|archive-date=June 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611001032/http://www.merrill.umd.edu/deadline/index.php/2013/04/24/merrill-journalists-take-top-honors-at-spj-regional-conference/ |url=http://www.merrill.umd.edu/deadline/index.php/2013/04/24/merrill-journalists-take-top-honors-at-spj-regional-conference/|publisher=Philip Merrill College of Journalism| access-date=January 3, 2020}}</ref>

For the 2010–2011 school year, ''The Diamondback'' received a first-place "Mark of Excellence" award for its region, and saw several of its journalists go on to win individual national awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, including for column writing and sports reporting.<ref>{{cite web|title=SPJ announces 2010 Region 2 Mark of Excellence Award Winners|date=April 11, 2011|work=SPJ News|publisher=Society of Professional Journalists| url= https://www.spj.org/news.asp?ref=1046|access-date=January 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Mark of ExcellencenNational Winners and Finalists|url=https://www.spj.org/moe11.asp|publisher=Society of Professional Journalists |access-date=January 3, 2020}}</ref>

For the 2008–2009 school year, ''The Diamondback'' placed second in the national Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards ranking of daily student newspapers. It received the first-place award for its region.<ref>{{cite web|title=SPJ Announces 2008 Mark of Excellence Awards National Winners|date=May 13, 2009|publisher=Society of Professional Journalists|url=http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=891|access-date=January 3, 2020|archive-date=January 13, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130113161650/http://www.spj.org/news.asp?REF=891|url-status=dead}}</ref>

For the 2005–2006 school year, ''The Diamondback'' received a "Mark of Excellence" award, placing 3rd nationally for "Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper" and placing first in its region in the same category.

==Alumni==

===Journalists=== Notable journalists who worked at ''The Diamondback'' include:

* Jonathan Allen, a political journalist currently working for ''NBC News''. Previously reported for publications such as ''Congressional Quarterly'', ''The Hill'', ''Politico'', ''Bloomberg News'', and ''Vox''. Co-author of two best-selling books on Hillary Clinton: ''HRC: State Secrets and the Rebirth of Hillary Clinton'' and ''Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign''. Winner of the 2008 Everett Dirksen Award and Sandy Hume Award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Washington Insider: Journalist Jonathan Allen, BA '98 |url=https://bsos.umd.edu/featured-content/washington-insider-journalist |access-date=August 29, 2023 |website=University of Maryland College of Behavioral Sciences |archive-date=August 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230831122643/https://bsos.umd.edu/featured-content/washington-insider-journalist |url-status=dead }}</ref> * Jayson Blair (editor-in-chief in 1996), former journalist for ''The New York Times''. Blair achieved nationwide notoriety as a journalist at the ''Times'' for serious reporting errors, fabrication of facts, and plagiarism. A letter signed by 30 former ''Diamondback'' staffers regarding the situation with Blair also complained about the lack of involvement by the board that owns the paper.<ref>{{cite news|title=The making of Jason Blair|first=David|last=Folkenflik|date=February 29, 2004|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/arts/bal-as.blair23,0,3313659.story|access-date=January 3, 2020}}</ref> * Norman Chad (editor-in-chief in 1978), an ESPN columnist and World Series of Poker commentator. * Brian Crecente (reporter 1993–1994), editor-in-chief of Gawker Media website ''Kotaku'' named one of the 20 most influential people in the video game industry over the past 20 years. * Justin Fenton, an investigative reporter at the ''Baltimore Banner''. Previously a crime reporter at the ''Baltimore Sun'', where he was part of a team that was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in 2016. He also authored ''We Own This City: A True Story of Crime, Cops, and Corruption'',<ref>{{cite web |title=We Own This City by Justin Fenton: 9780593133682 {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623113/we-own-this-city-by-justin-fenton/ |website=PenguinRandomhouse.com}}</ref> which was later produced by HBO and fellow Diamondback alumnus David Simon into a TV mini series of the same name. * Jack Kelley, former ''USA Today'' international correspondent who resigned after fabricating major stories and plagiarizing on at least two dozen occasions.<ref>{{cite news|last=Rosen|first=Jill|title=Who Knows Jack?|url=http://ajrarchive.org/Article.asp?id=3613|work=American Journalism Review|date=April 2004|access-date=October 4, 2015}}</ref> * David Mills, a former features writer for ''The Washington Times'' and ''The Washington Post''. Mills also found success in Hollywood. He was a television writer for ''NYPD Blue'' from 1995 to 1997. He also wrote several episodes of ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' and ''ER''. In 2003, he created ''Kingpin'', an NBC miniseries. He won two Emmy Awards. * Michael Olesker, former columnist for the ''Baltimore Sun'', commentator for WJZ-TV and writer for the ''Baltimore Examiner''. He resigned from the ''Sun'' after accusations of plagiarism. * Mi-Ai Parrish (editor-in-chief 1991–1992) is president and publisher of ''The Arizona Republic'' and azcentral.com. Previously publisher of ''The Kansas City Star'' and ''Idaho Statesman''. Journalist at ''Minneapolis Star Tribune'', ''San Francisco Chronicle'', ''Chicago Sun-Times''. * Stephen Petranek, American writer and editor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-l-petranek-4521028/|title=Stephen L. Petranek {{!}} LinkedIn|last=Petranek|first=Stephen|website=Linkedin|access-date=March 30, 2020}}</ref> * David Simon, author of ''Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets'' and ''The Corner''. Based on his books, Simon later created the TV series ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' and ''The Wire'', as well as the mini-series ''The Corner''.

===Cartoonists=== * Frank Cho's strip ''Liberty Meadows'' started as a cartoon strip called ''University<sup>2</sup>'' for ''The Diamondback.'' * Aaron McGruder's comic strip ''The Boondocks'' first premiered in ''The Diamondback'' in 1997. The comic has since gone on to widespread success in syndication, and has its own television show. * Jeff Kinney's comic strip Igdoof ran in ''The Diamondback'' in the early 1990s. He writes and illustrates the ''Diary of a Wimpy Kid'' book series and web comic.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Portal|Maryland|Journalism}} * [http://www.dbknews.com Official website of ''The Diamondback'']

{{DEFAULTSORT:Diamondback, The}} Category:Student newspapers published in Maryland Category:University of Maryland, College Park mass media Category:University of Maryland, College Park student organizations Category:Newspapers established in 1909 Category:1909 establishments in Maryland