By Joel Fuzo / Jambar Contributor
After The Jambar’s recent 94th anniversary, Youngstown State University’s student media has gone through many changes from only print to the multimedia era of today.
The Jambar’s first publication was in 1931, publishing not so much as hard news but more light-hearted content with less depth.
“Oh, fellows!!! Jimmy Marks claims that those hot pajamas that he wore on the basketball trip were NOT purchased at the Youngstown Tent and Awning Company,” The Jambar stated.
Cassie Nespor, curator of YSU’s archives and Rose Melnick Medical Museum, said the content wasn’t the same level of journalism today’s audience reads.
“It was a lot of gossip about what was going on around the campus, events that happened or just a social column,” Nespor said.
Throughout its first decade, The Jambar proceeded to gain more traction and eventually became a more esteemed paper, winning First Class Honors from the Associated Collegiate Press Critical Service in 1942 for its impact on students during World War II.
However, The Jambar wasn’t the only publication running during this time, or the first on campus.
YSU had its own student handbook, known as The Penguin Coop, with its first publication in 1928.
According to Nespor, unlike The Jambar, The Penguin Coop was fully student run and posted such information as rules and student guidelines. However, in its last issue during the 1971-72 semester, the editors took a harsh editorial approach.
“The faculty at YSU can be divided into three general categories: the good, the bad, and the mediocre,” The Penguin Coop stated.
This was just one of the many criticisms in the article which led to its discontinuation, being possibly the largest student media outlet since the campus’ founding.
In 1949, The Student Salons established a radio show called the Quarter Hour on WBBW Sports Radio 1240 to provide news, music for university students and interesting talking points.
According to an issue of The Jambar from 1960, the show was canceled because the local radio station wanted to compete with other news stations who were following popular trends.
YSU radio did make its return in 1981 with Underground Sound, or popularly known as “WUGS,” an on-campus radio program which ran until 1996.
In 2011, Rookery Radio was established to provide information on the latest trends, music, sports and other student and campus topics.
Rookery Radio was on hiatus in 2020, primarily because of COVID-19 restrictions, but made its return in the 2024 fall semester.
Erin Driscoll, executive director of Student Experience and Resident Life, said student media and Rookery Radio’s return impacted campus.
“It’s a great way for students to get more connected and get more seen. I think a podcast can really help students build some connections with each other,” said Driscoll.
YSU students created the university’s first magazine in 2007, known as the YO Magazine, which ran until spring 2022.
While the magazine’s last publication was spring 2022, Mary Beth Earnheardt, chair of the department of communication, said that publications made by students should represent what they wish to write.
“YO Magazine works really great when we have students that want to write magazine content. It’s a more narrative voice, a little more personal and it’s not for everyone,” Earnheardt said.
Earnheardt said when she started at YSU around 2001, The Jambar had a fledgling website, and the biggest change during her time was the development of The Jambar’s website, moving the content online.
“Around 2018-2019, we decided to move the paper to a tabloid that’s published weekly and launch The Jambar’s productions,” Earnheardt said.
This became Jambar TV, which is now known as The Jambar in 10, The Jambar News Magazine and The Jambar Sports Extra.
As student media at YSU continues to evolve, its history of adaptation and innovation reflects the changing landscape of journalism in various forms and platforms, ensuring students’ voices are represented.
Editor’s note: All historical dates and information were gathered through William F. Maag, Jr. Library Jambar Newspaper Archives.