Dateline Columbus: The Lantern celebrates new newsroom, turns the page to new era

Guest Author
Fri, 08 Aug 2025 22:05:42 +0000
Campus

By Chris Davey

COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s not every day that a newsroom gets a new home — especially when it has been more than half a century since the last one. I guess you could say it’s breaking news.

This commemorative edition of The Lantern — produced entirely by alumni from the past seven decades — celebrates the opening of a modern newsroom designed to serve the next generation of journalists and storytellers at Ohio State. On our cover, you’ll see the 1925 masthead of The Lantern, a nod to the deep roots of this publication and a reminder that, while tools and technologies change, the mission of journalism endures.

From its founding, The Lantern has taught, supported and always attempted to uphold the bedrock values of American journalism: freedom of the press, freedom of expression, the marketplace of ideas, and the role of the institution of journalism? — the fourth estate — in sustaining democracy.?

In recent decades, journalism has faced historic challenges. Technological disruption has transformed how news is gathered, delivered, and consumed. Economic pressures have closed newspapers, reduced newsroom staffs, and undermined the resources needed for sustained investigative work. Perhaps most troubling, bad actors have worked to erode public trust in news organizations, spreading the notion that facts are optional and truth is subjective. Artificial intelligence could exacerbate this in dangerous and unpredictable ways. The antidote to these forces is the same as it has always been: rigorous, ethical, and fearless reporting.

Student journalism plays a crucial role in this landscape now more than ever. It trains the next generation of journalists not only in the craft — interviewing, fact-checking, storytelling — but also in the habits of mind and ethical grounding necessary for the work. But its impact goes beyond those who choose the newsroom as a career. For generations, The Lantern has shaped Buckeyes who have gone on to work in law, medicine, business, public service, education, and countless other fields. The discipline of reporting, the habit of questioning assumptions, the appreciation for evidence and clarity — these are assets in any profession, and The Lantern has been one of our nation’s most enduring incubators of such skills.

The newsroom has always been a place of seriousness and purpose, but also one with an irreverent streak that reflects the energy of its staff. That energy has helped produce an extraordinary roster of alumni, including Pulitzer Prize winners, renowned photographers, celebrated columnists, Hollywood writers (one even appeared on the gameshow Hollywood Squares) and some of the most recognized editorial cartoonists in the country. It is no coincidence that this edition features two cartoons emblematic of that tradition: a new piece created by Brian Basset, who drew for The Lantern in the 1970s, and a classic by Derf Backderf from the 1980s, appearing alongside his retrospective. Their work is a reminder that journalism can be both serious in purpose and inventive in form.

The pages that follow offer a rich retrospective on The Lantern’s past, told by the people who lived it. You’ll read about landmark investigations, campus controversies, newsroom innovations, and the ways The Lantern has reflected — and sometimes shaped — student life. You’ll also encounter the humor, camaraderie, and occasional chaos that come with producing a daily paper on deadline. Together, these stories capture the enduring spirit of a newsroom that has been at once a training ground, a crucible and a community. This is not a comprehensive history, so some significant episodes over the 144 years are not represented here. Maybe someone could write that book next.

This new newsroom is not simply a change of floors and decor — it’s an investment in the future of journalism. Its design supports collaboration, multimedia production, and the kind of cross-disciplinary work that modern newsrooms demand. It is a space built to adapt, to welcome new technologies, and to continue The Lantern’s role as both a laboratory for learning and a source of essential information for the Ohio State community.

None of this would be possible without the dedication of countless people over the decades: the students who have put in long nights to meet a deadline; the faculty advisers who have mentored and challenged; the faculty who have taught the fundamentals, the alumni who have given back with their time, expertise, and support; and the donors whose generosity has made this new chapter possible.?

The Lantern is a proud part of Ohio State’s world-class School of Communication, ranked No. 1 nationally and No. 2 globally in its field. The school is recognized for rigorous, high-impact research in areas such as political communication, digital technology’s role in society, and health and risk communication. Its programs prepare students to lead in journalism, strategic communication, marketing, public relations, and related disciplines. This celebration of the new Lantern newsroom is part of the school’s first-ever All-School Reunion, bringing together alumni from all of its diverse programs to honor both the school’s scholarly achievements and its legacy of hands-on training that produces leaders in Ohio and around the world.

As you turn these pages, you’ll see why The Lantern matters — not only to those who have worked in its newsroom but to the broader public it serves. In an era when the flow of information can be overwhelming, and misinformation can spread with alarming speed, the role of credible journalism is more vital than ever. The skills learned here will travel far, carried by graduates into newsrooms, boardrooms, courtrooms, and classrooms across the state and around the world.

This commemorative edition is both a look back and a look forward. It honors the traditions that have defined The Lantern while embracing the innovations that will shape its future. We invite you to celebrate with us — not just the opening of a beautiful new space, but the enduring mission of the newsroom it houses. Special thanks to the alumni who contributed their stories; to my co-editor John Oller for his painstaking and patient research, writing and editing; to Lantern Adviser Spencer Hunt for all of his insights and guidance; to Lantern alum Reid Murray for exceptional design and layout; and to Lantern Web Editor Chloe Limputra, our digital editor. A big thank you also to the outstanding Director of the School of Communication, Kelly Garrett, and all of the faculty of the School of Communication and the former School of Journalism past and present who shaped generations of communicators, researchers and journalists. And finally, special thanks to Sandy Hermanoff, our Advancement Board member who chaired the Reunion Committee and whose generous support made this commemorative edition possible.

For 144 years, The Lantern has told the stories of Ohio State and our community. With this new newsroom, it is ready to keep telling them — accurately, independently, and with the tenacity that has always defined it. Here’s to the next half-century, and to the generations of Buckeyes who will write, edit, photograph, design, and publish the stories that matter.

Editor’s Note: Chris Davey (1994 B.A. Journalism; 2003 M.A. Journalism Communication) is a former Statehouse reporter for The Dayton Daily News and The Cincinnati Enquirer and was editor-in-chief of The Lantern in 1993. He served as spokesman for Ohio State and the Ohio Supreme Court and is founder and partner of 30PR and Chair of the School of Communication Advancement Board.