Impact (student magazine)

Impact Magazine is the official student magazine of the University of Nottingham, it has been published in various forms and various names since 1939.[1] Run on a voluntary basis using funds from the Students' Union, the magazine is available free to students. Impact also publishes a website, which has been online since 8 January 2006, and an app, which was launched in 2016.

Impact Magazine
Editor-in-ChiefEmily Casey
CategoriesNews, Sport, Lifestyle, Features, Entertainment, Reviews, Podcasts
FrequencyBimonthly
Circulation3,000
PublisherUniversity of Nottingham Students' Union
Year founded1939 (The Gong)
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Websitehttp://www.impactnottingham.com

Awards

Impact journalist Nicola Byrom was designated Mind's Student Journalist of the Year 2009 for her "outstanding contribution to mental health awareness".[2]

Impact Magazine has also won several awards at the annual Guardian Student Media Awards. It won "Student Magazine of the Year" in 2001[3] and was runner-up in this category in 2005[4] and 2007.[5] It was also runner-up in the category for "Student Publication Design of the Year" for the 2006 awards.[6] In 2014, Impact won The Guardian's Best Website award. In 2017, the magazine won Best Magazine Design at the national Student Publication Awards.

Writers for the magazine have also won individual awards, including Amy Franks for "Student columnist of the year" and Nosheen Asghar for "Student diversity writer of the year" in 2002,[7] and Paul Robins for "Sports Writer of the Year" in 2004. The Guardian panel in 2001 described Impact as having "great design and great articles that brilliantly reflected its student readership but could have been a real stand-alone magazine".[8]

History

The Gong, launched in 1895 was the University of Nottingham's first foray into the world of student journalism. A polished literary pamphlet, it published the students’ own stories, poems and literary reviews. The Granddad of the students’ creative voice continued for decades alongside its news-based rival, The Gongster, which was launched in 1939 and after several image changes eventually became Impact. The paper suffered many teething problems, coming under fire for being "too serious and stodgy".

The publication also faced difficulties when war broke out, resulting in a print reduction as the country encountered a serious paper shortage. In 1941 Gongster was suspended throughout the summer months due to a lack of funding, given the restrictions imposed on all societies by the SU as the full effects of rationing took their toll. It was only by 1947 that the paper finally found its feet, selling 100% of copies.

As the paper hit the 1980s it was decided that Gongster was long due a shake-up and soon became Bias. The new name, coupled with an edgier, aesthetically pleasing design, lasted only five years when someone concluded the paper would be better served as Impact. Still a newspaper and still partially funding itself, at ten pence a copy, Impact promised to be more adventurous.

Impact subsequently changed into a magazine, which remains in the same format with an ever increasing number of pages.

Impact released its 200th issue during its 70th birthday year on 30 November 2009.

Alumni

Impact's most notable alumni include:

  • Jeff Randall, Editor-at-Large of The Daily Telegraph and presenter of Jeff Randall Live on Sky News. Jeff was also BBC Political Editor from 2001 to 2005.
  • Jeremy Browne (previous Editor), Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Taunton Deane.

References
  1. "About Impact 07/08".
  2. "Mind Journalism Awards 2009".
  3. "The Guardian Student Media Awards 2001". London. 18 October 2001. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  4. "The Guardian Student Media Awards 2005". London. November 2, 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  5. "The Guardian Student Media Awards 2007". London. 24 October 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  6. "The Guardian Student Media Awards 2006". London. 9 November 2006. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  7. "The Guardian Student Media Awards 2002". London. 7 November 2002. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  8. Woodward, Will (18 October 2001). "The Guardian Student Media Awards 2001". London. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
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