The U of T News Bulletin is switching from being offered in print and online to online-only.
The news source for faculty and staff, which has a readership of around 2300, covers university life, research developments, and new programs. As indicated by the U of T news website, it promotes the best and most strategic news the university has to offer in terms of teaching, research, and student and faculty experience.
“With such a large organization, it is necessary to give out the appropriate information as efficiently as possible,” said Michael Kurts, Assistant Vice President for Strategic Communications and Marketing at U of T.
A recent survey found that the majority of readers preferred the bulletin online, with only 10 per cent of readers favouring the paper edition.
Running the news source as online-only will be less time-consuming and more economical. Moreover, the bulletin will be accessible to just as many people as at present, but with reduced difficulty and costs.
“The advantages of having this online version of the bulletin are extensive,” said Kurts. “We are now able to put out the issue twice a week, therefore allowing us to publish more up-to-date stories. As well, with the removal of paper usage, production time is significantly decreased.”
Also available exclusively online is the U of T News website, which is focused more on the external audience outside the faculty and staff. It is similar to the bulletin in that it offers current news, research, and weekly features. The news, however, is more aimed at students.
With the online bulletin up and running, the news and media department at U of T is interested in hearing from its readers. “We want to make this something that is useful to everyone. The key to success is speaking to the audience,” explained Kurts.
In an effort to make the bulletin more visually appealing, the department is working towards incorporating more multimedia; the amount of video and photography on the bulletin is likely to increase.
The U of T News website can be accessed online at www.news.utoronto.ca.
