And just like that, another semester of The Witmarsum is in the books.
Looking back of our first 16 editions and 137 posts of the 2018-19 academic year, the support of our readers and listeners has been phenomenal. Even amidst the hustle and bustle of this time of year, I am so often reminded how special the work and legacy of The Wit is to me.
In this season of gratitude and reflection, I want to first share what weighs heavy on my heart.
There is tremendous violence against journalists taking place in our world today. According to data released by the Committee to Protect Journalists, 52 journalists have been killed in their line of work in 2018. Out of those 52 deaths, 33 have been confirmed to be murders. These numbers are alarming—they nearly double statistics from 10 years ago.
Even in the United States, journalists continue to be under threat. In June, five people were shot dead in the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, Md. Just this past Thursday, CNN was evacuated for a bomb threat. Regular threats of violence should not be the reality for journalists, yet harassment and menacing phone calls are becoming increasingly common for media organizations.
There are consequences to calling the media the “the enemy of the American people.” Let us not forget the grave implications rhetoric of that nature has on truth, peace and justice.
In 1914, in the Journalist’s Creed, Walter Williams wrote, “The supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service.”
At The Wit, we operate with the mission statement of Bluffton University as the anchoring point of our work. We seek to keep the purposes of responsible citizenship and service to all peoples at the forefront of what we do.
As this year’s managing editor, I am so grateful to have contributors and a staff who demonstrated their commitment to tough questions and truth-seeking on Bluffton’s campus this semester.
I’d also like to extend my most sincere thanks to our program director, Tyler Avila, as he will be graduating at the end of the semester. I can’t thank him enough for the tireless hours he’s spent producing radio content and providing guidance and leadership to our team. I’m confident there is no one in the world who loves 96.1 The Wit as much as Ty, and he will always be a part of The Witmarsum family.
As a reminder, The Witmarsum family is ever-expanding. If you have a great idea, send it our way. If you’re passionate about writing or social media, let us know. If you’ve always secretly wished you had a radio show, now’s your chance. We love to welcome new people to our team; it helps us serve our campus community better.
With Bluffton’s enduring values and this year’s Civic Engagement theme in mind, I would like to leave you with an excerpt of a prayer written earlier this year by Pope Francis:
May our words be seeds of goodness for the world:
where there is shouting, let us practice listening;
where there is confusion, let us inspire harmony;
where there is ambiguity, let us bring clarity;
where there is exclusion, let us offer solidarity;
where there is sensationalism, let us use sobriety;
where there is superficiality, let us raise real questions;
where there is prejudice, let us awaken trust;
where there is hostility, let us bring respect;
where there is falsehood, let us bring truth.”
As the fall semester comes to a close and we anticipate the Christmas season and the promise of new life in the spring, may these words guide and inspire the work of The Witmarsum and the spirit of the Bluffton community.
Wishing you love, joy and peace this holiday season,
Hannah Conklin
The Witmarsum 2018-19 managing editor
