| Type | Weekly student newspaper (during term time) |
|---|---|
| Format | 28 pages |
| Owner | University of Birmingham Guild of Students |
| Editor | Glen Moutrie |
| Associate editor | Victoria Bull, James Phillips and Chris Hutchinson |
| Founded | February 5th 1936 |
| Headquarters | University of Birmingham Guild of Students |
| Circulation | 3,000 |
| Official website | http://www.redbrickpaper.co.uk/ |
Redbrick is the student newspaper of the University of Birmingham. Originally titled Guild News, the newspaper was renamed Redbrick in 1962. As with most student newspapers Redbrick is not fully independent due to funding arrangements, but is editorially independent as is set out in its charter.
Redbrick is written, photographed, edited and published entirely by University students, and is run not for profit, funded by both advertising revenue and the Guild of Students. It consists of news, comment and features, arts, music, lifestyle, film, and sport sections. Food, travel and technology sections appear on a three week rotation. A sport supplement titled The Lion is published biannually.
The newspaper is produced weekly during term time, with the exception of the summer semester as publication halts during exam season. The newspaper celebrated its 75th birthday in February last year. The paper is distributed free around campus and the local area every Friday.
Redbrick's website - [1] - has grown significantly following a redesign in early 2011. Since then it has won the Guardian Student Media Award for 'Website of the Year' 2011 and it receives over 5,000 unique visitors every week, meaning it has now overtaken the print edition in terms of readership.
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Redbrick is one of the oldest student newspapers in the United Kingdom. First published as Guild News on 5th February 1936 its current name dates to 1962. One of two student publications at the University, the other being SATNAV (Science and Technology News and Views), the paper was originally published alongside the student magazine The Mermaid this ceased publication some time ago.
The newspaper continued to publish throughout the Second World War. The first issue after its declaration featured on its front page an article on the potential difference between The Great War, and the war with Germany in which the country had just become involved.
In summer 1972, just after the Gay Liberation Front yearly conference, held in the Guild of Students, Redbrick published a controversial article titled 'Who's a Wanker?', which described practical aspects of homosexuality, a highly controversial matter then. The issue ran out and had to be reprinted. Simultaneously, it was reported to the Press Council because of that article, and it was subsequently withdrawn.
Over the years Redbrick has covered everything from visits by Prime Ministers, controversial politicians and even Malcolm X. The paper has featured many exposés, reports from behind the Iron Curtain, the 1968 student sit ins and from behind the scenes at the BBC's first ever Prime Ministerial debate.
Perhaps Redbrick's most successful day so far was it's coverage of the 2011 England Riots in Birmingham. Redbrick ran a live feed covering the events in Birmingham as they happened, including photography, commentary and a selection of tweets, which attracted over 100,000 visitors in the space of a few hours. Redbrick continued to do this into the second and third day's of rioting, and received national recognition for it's coverage.
The society has won recognition from various student bodies. In 2005 Redbrick won the most improved society award, following this in 2010 the newspaper won the Guild of Students Most Outstanding Society of the year award. In the same year it won the Outstanding Contribution to Sport award from the University. As previously mentioned, in November 2011 Redbrick also won the Guardian Student Media award for 'Website of the Year'.
Redbrick appoints its core editorial team for the coming academic year via simple majority at an annual general meeting in the summer semester.
The Editorial Team for 2011-2012 includes Glen Moutrie as Editor, Victoria Bull and James Phillips as Deputy Editors and Chris Hutchinson as Online Editor.
Redbrick now encompasses a large team, including writers, editors, designers and managers, who aim to provide the best quality journalism possible through a number of different mediums. During the 2010-11 academic year, the newspaper had it's first dedicated design team who presided over the first print redesign in six years.
Every section of the newspaper also has its own Twitter account which are used to keep followers updated on significant issues related to each section.
It is closely linked to the other media groups at the Guild of Students: BurnFM.com, Guild Television (GTV) and PhotoSoc.
Many former editors have gone on to work for national publications, the most notable being former Reviews Editor Lizo Mzimba who left in 1992.
More recent alumni include Nick Petrie, co-founder of Wannabe Hacks and now Community Manager at The Telegraph, editor of Redbrick Paper between 2009 and 2010.