In recent years, the Lanthorn has experienced an exciting amount of audience growth and an ever-increasing interest in reputable information about student life, the University’s administration and the area surrounding campus.
We’ve broken stories that haven’t been reported elsewhere, such as Ottawa County Commissioner Joe Moss concealing a firearm at Grand Valley State University despite policy, Parking Services hitting a pedestrian and the Board of Trustees’ approval of debt financing the Blue Dot tech center. By publishing consistent, well-researched content, our reach has grown, especially on Instagram, which approaches 1 million views every 90 days.
The Lanthorn’s staff size hasn’t been able to keep up with this demand for news and information that readers can’t get through other local publications. Stagnant funding has impacted how many students we can employ, the size of our print editions and the depth of coverage we pursue.
Following in the footsteps of other Michigan universities, we’re proposing that a ‘student media tax’ be enacted by the University and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in collaboration with the School of Communications as part of tuition fees to secure a sustainable future for the next generation of Lanthorn employees. Collecting $5 per student per semester – fall, winter and spring/summer – would provide the School of Communications with an estimated $220,000 annually to fund the Lanthorn, Whale Radio and GVTV. Similar to the systems set up by other universities, students could opt out of this tax if they so choose.
Many student newspapers, such as the Michigan Daily at the University of Michigan and Central Michigan Life at Central Michigan University are largely funded through advertising revenue and donations. Meanwhile, the State News at Michigan State University operates with a student subscription tax ultimately fulfilled by students, not university dollars. The Western Herald at Western Michigan University, categorized as a registered student organization, is similarly funded through a hefty subscription tax split among campus groups.
Compared to these examples, the Lanthorn, part of the School of Communications at GVSU, is not financially independent, with funding coming directly from the University. Although we receive funding from the school, all editorial decisions are made independently by student staffers.
Due to this status, the Lanthorn receives less funding overall compared to the majority of collegiate publications in Michigan. Without taking advertising revenue into account, the University provides the Lanthorn with $72,000 each academic year for our operations and payroll. This amount has remained largely the same since at least 2018.
The gap between the Lanthorn and papers like the Michigan Daily and State News is made apparent through the wider pool of resources they have access to. Plentiful staffing for editorial, business and multimedia positions ultimately results in a publication that can better adapt to the needs of its student population.
Despite increases in the state’s minimum wage from $9.25 an hour in 2018 to $13.73 in 2026, the Lanthorn’s budget and means to pay student employees have remained the same. Technology has continued to advance, generating a need to update software alongside equipment. If our budget does not increase to accommodate these changes, the Lanthorn will be unable to further adapt to the digital space and regularly produce high-quality content.
We know how hard our staff writers, photographers, editors, editor-in-chief, business and advertising team members work. Ultimately, the Lanthorn would like to see an increased budget because part of that money would go to further recognizing staffers’ contributions through increased compensation. None of this would be done at the cost of downsizing our dedicated team. Lanthorn staff members are student employees, and the Editorial Board stands with campus workers advocating for themselves in their workplaces.
On that note, students who run Whale Radio and GVTV are entirely uncompensated. By increasing the amount of money pooled together through the School of Communication for student media, we would like to see portions of the tax revenue go toward their budgets. The radio and television stations would be able to compensate students who devote their personal time not just to their passion, but also to gaining experience for their future careers.
The Lanthorn and other student-run outlets are extremely vital to the individuals who participate in their creation. These experiences act as on-the-job training for Journalism, Broadcast and Digital Media (JBM) majors and related programs, and often serve as internships and resume-building opportunities. Student media is integral to the JBM program, and if the Lanthorn isn’t thriving, the JBM program falters, especially when compared to other collegiate papers and journalism programs in the state.
Aside from student employees, this issue impacts all Lanthorn readers, including the student body at large, alumni, community members, faculty and staff. As general trust for news outlets continues to decrease, factual journalism that people trust is critical to understanding the world and being part of a well-functioning community. At the Lanthorn, we aim to be the source for campus news, and as our audience expands, we believe we should be more fairly funded through a subscription tax.
