When I first heard news of the Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) ceasing Interrobang’s, publication, I was shocked, while a wave of sadness quickly swept through me.

This isn’t the first time a publication I’ve been a part of cut back its publishing, or stopped operations altogether. However, in an industry that is constantly adapting and evolving on the fly, aiming to keep up with readers’ habits, it’s never easy when the lights are turned off for the last time. Interrobang is no exception. 

Rather than continue being disappointed, the last few weeks gave me time to reflect on my story with the Interrobang, and what it truly meant to be part of this community.

For reference, my Interrobang adventure began in summer 2016, as head reporter of Volume 49, moving on as editor for Volumes 50 and 51.

Before stepping through Interrobang’s doors, I was vaguely aware of the publication, and all the important work it had already done over the years.

After being welcomed with open arms, and making new friends, I would soon learn Interrobang’s significance to the Fanshawe and London communities and what a tremendous asset it had been for anyone consuming its content through various mediums, including print, audio and visual.

Interrobang was not your typical community paper, but one that gave students and graduates the opportunity to not only seek out stories around campus, but go out into the greater London community and report on issues impacting readers.

The community boxes located across the city allowed for greater readership, and visibility. Driving around town with colleagues, filling those boxes with fresh issues, was always a highlight of the week.

While the same can be true for any Interrobang contributor, working as a reporter and editor, allowed me to speak with fascinating people. This included students, professors, local businesses, and changemakers, to well-known musicians, athletes and politicians, who rolled into town. Whether it was to seek truth, gain insightful information or share a fun and exciting story, every interview I conducted was significant and helped shape each article.

It always amazed me how a small market publication (though no less important than others), was given access to some pretty eventful opportunities. For me, this included covering former Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau’s town halls, interviewing figure skating and hometown heroes, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, as they arrived home from the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, and chatting with Canadian fashion journalist Jeanne Beker, at the 2017 Unbound fashion show. Other notable mentions include covering the Juno Awards activities, and the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards.

From highlighting students’ and faculty’s accomplishments, class projects, alumni’s continued success, and sports coverage, to crucial topics such as funding announcements, the Ontario Colleges strike, mental health and sexual violence prevention pieces, there was always a story to share with readers. Our team had the creative freedom to try new things, and report on stories in unique ways, learning to pivot when needed.

All this to say, readers put their trust in our small, but mighty team, and we delivered the best we could. Breaking news stories, or reporting on large scaled events, I believe, gave our team of cub reporters the confidence to believe in ourselves and capabilities, and further confirm Interrobang was a respected publication.

Collecting some Ontario Community Newspaper Awards (OCNA) awards on behalf of the team was also a nice boost.

Being an editor gave me the reassurance to make decisions on the fly, and continue highlighting as many Fanshawe related stories as possible. Helping other reporters develop their skills and abilities was also a tremendous honour.

The staff was always supportive and helped everyone along the way, in honing their craft. I left the publication feeling proud of the work our team pulled off, and was excited to see it continue to morph into something new.

What matters most out of all of this is local media, and how it is covered. While it may not be reported on in the same format moving forward, local news plays a pivotal role in the community it serves. It is vital for students, faculty and the Fanshawe community to continue receiving their news, in the best way possible.

While I’ve gone on to report for local papers in Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley (including Metroland Media), to being a news writer and segment booker/producer at CTV Morning Live Ottawa, my current position looks a bit different. While I’m not working as a full-fledged journalist for a media outlet, my job with the federal government includes editing, writing and coordinating stories for the web. The work and support I received during my time with Interrobang, helped me get to where I am today, and I am internally grateful for that.

On that note, I’d like to thank the staff and family of Interrobang, and the Fanshawe and London communities for taking a chance and giving me that “foot in the door” to an industry that knows no bounds. Without Interrobang, I wouldn’t be where I am today.