The Cavalier Daily editors have been working to increase engagement with readers, primarily through social media platforms such as Facebook. Online interactions with readers have been on the rise. On April 17, The Cavalier Daily held a roundtable discussion with University student leaders, including representatives from the Minority Rights Coalition, Student Council, Honor, the Black Student Alliance and the University Program Council. Individuals were able to ask questions through Facebook during the live round table discussion. This video was a highly efficient way to reach a large audience, and the video currently has over 3,200 views.
This post had more traffic than other articles on The Cavalier Daily Facebook page, which currently reaches nearly 50,000 people each week. In addition, there were many substantive questions from students and other readers in the video’s comment section. There was a fair amount of online activity and interest in this event. The Cavalier Daily should continue capitalizing on this increase in reader activity and engagement by running more interactive events on social media platforms. Reader participation is necessary for the development and improvement of The Cavalier Daily.
In response to some reader concerns about the online comment section, there are no plans to remove this feature entirely. The staff is trying to find the most impactful and effective way to involve readers and have productive discussions about content. There has been a conversation among staff members about altering the format of the comment section. However, Cavalier Daily staff will continue to be transparent about changes associated with the roll out of the new website. The Cavalier Daily welcomes substantive discourse and opposing viewpoints, and will continue to engage with its readers.
In addition to an improved online presence and the maintenance of the comment section there should be an effort to increase the dialogue with readers through other mechanisms. There is certainly still room for growth in this area. One such mechanism is the letter to the editor. The Cavalier Daily regularly publishes letters to the editor, providing a platform for community members to share their views. However, there are ways to streamline this process and encourage readers to submit letters. Further, it is my role as the public editor to serve as an ombudsman for The Cavalier Daily and to give voice to reader’s views. I would like to actively encourage readers with questions or concerns to reach out to me, and to next year’s incoming public editor. We truly value community members’ thoughts, ideas and constructive criticism.
Jacquelyn Katuin is the public editor for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at publiceditor@cavalierdaily.com.
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