What's The Point? The Writers Dont Even Know.

I wasn't quite sure what to write about today, but as fate would have it an idea jumped right into my lap. While calling the newly name changed Fitchburg State University for some very basic and uncomplicated information, the response was amusing and yet somehow sad.

My goal was to propose a story idea concerning an event taking place in Fitchburg for my former paper The Point, and to inquire about some basic business advertising within it. Seems simple, but the students whom were answering the phones became horribly confused with the question; "Could you tell me who I would speak to about The Point student paper?"

First response; "Um, huh, ahhhhhh, we don't have a student paper." pause pause pause, "Oh but we have an online new site called The Point."

My eyes rolling I said, "OK, well could you give me the contact information for the people who deal with the line version of The Point?"

This reply was in fact my favorite. "Um, like, I'm not sure, oh wait..." Unnamed girl on the phone yells to other unnamed girl in the room giggling away...,"Hey (girl's name), you work on The Point right?"

Girl answers, "Um yea, the online news thing right?"

Girl on the phone says, "Yea. Do you know the contact info or url to get to it?"

Girls answers, "No, I'm like, well they like changed it. But um I don't know. She can do a search for The Point online maybe?"

Girl on the phone says to me, "Maybe contacting the head of the English department would help?"

I was pretty sure I wasn't getting any help from anyone who was on the phone or within earshot of the person I was talking to, so I asked for the contact info for the professor, which luckily I was able to get without too much trouble. What I really couldn't grasp was how a contributor to a publication whether print or online, wouldn't have any idea how to access the publication to which they contribute to. Is this the future of journalism? Not that much journalism these days is worth reading unless you want to help support the government paid media and their whore like practices with their words as opposed to their bodies.

I did manage to find the link to the online version of The Point by going to Fitchburg State University's (still cant get used to that) site and doing some clicking around until I found the link. I learned these sort of research skills from some wonderful professors that worked for Fitchburg State College, back when it was a school for learning and not promoting agendas and producing people who hardly know the name of the publications that they contribute to.

The online publication is mundane and tolerable at best. It lacks the voice of the students and the passion of writers. I would challenge that any high school news paper in the Central, MA region could trump The Point in content and skill, and as previously mentioned, awareness. However, those who contribute and work for The Point shouldn't worry too much (and I would assume they don't from their robotic writing) because the Fitchburg Sentinel and Enterprise is always looking for new and uninspired staff members to continue to write agenda based dribble.