The Daily Bruin: A Century of Student Journalism at UCLA

The Daily Bruin stands as the student newspaper at the University of California, Los Angeles, with a rich history dating back to the establishment of UCLA itself. Since its inception, the publication has evolved alongside the university, mirroring its growth, changes, and the vibrant voices of its student body.

From Cub Californian to Daily Bruin: The Early Years

Upon the establishment of the Southern Branch of the University of California in fall 1919, the twice-weekly Cub Californian was first issued on Sept. 29, 1919. It represented the nascent voice of the student community. The newspaper staff operated out of an office only eight by ten feet large.

The newspaper's name was changed to the California Grizzly with the issue of March 21, 1924, reflecting the university's mascot at the time. A significant milestone was reached on October 22, 1926, when the newspaper became known as the California Daily Bruin. This name change coincided with UCLA's adoption of the Bruin mascot, solidifying the newspaper's identity as the voice of the UCLA community. By 1922, the paper went from printing once a week to twice a week. When the university mascot changed to the Grizzlies in 1924, the newspaper changed its name to the California Grizzlies accordingly. The following year, the paper stepped up production to print daily.

A Voice Through the Decades: Navigating Challenges and Controversies

The Daily Bruin has navigated numerous challenges and controversies throughout its history, reflecting the changing social and political landscape.

During World War II, the newspaper reduced its publication frequency to three times a week under the title California Bruin, reverting to a daily publication at war's end.

The newspaper has generally been under the control of the student organization now known as the Associated Students UCLA, or ASUCLA, although during the summer sessions of the 1920s and 1930s the newspapers were used as laboratory papers for university journalism classes. A student body president in 1931 advocated that the Bruin be made independent from control by the ASUC, as it was known then, so it might act as a check on student government. Until 1955, the Associated Students was considered the publisher of the Daily Bruin, sometimes directly under the student council and sometimes with the interposition of a Publications Board. Editors were named by the student council.

The McCarthy era brought accusations of Communist leanings against the newspaper staff. In 1955, the university administration revised the governance of the paper and instituted a system whereby the student body itself elected the editor. "Editors had to run for elective office just like politicians, and the newspaper was closely controlled by the [student] Council," wrote William C. Ackerman. A total of 3,004 signatures, representing one-fifth of the student body, were collected for a petition to be sent to Sproul to retract the plan.

The newspaper has also faced controversies related to its content. In 1926, editor John F. Cohee was expelled from school by Ernest Carroll Moore, the campus administrator and director, for what Moore called "certain indecent statements which affront the good name of the women of the University." These were apparently a tongue-in-cheek "report" that some sorority women had been seen cavorting nude in the Pacific Ocean surf. This article was included in a twice-yearly burlesque edition of the Daily Bruin known as "Hell's Bells." (Cohee transferred to the Berkeley campus and graduated there in 1927. Three years later, Director Moore suspended 14 students for publishing the January 23, 1929, issue of "Hell's Bells," "the filthiest and most indecent piece of printed matter that any of us has ever seen." Some of those students were later reinstated.

In 1935, the student council named Gilbert Harrison as editor. Harrison was soon at loggerheads with Tom Lambert, the ASUC president, who wanted more coverage of the student government. Frustrated, Lambert resigned, and the council named a committee to publish the paper when the staff threatened to strike. In October 1944 the student president charged that the Bruin was "unrepresentative and self-perpetuating" and that it was controlled by the liberal American Youth for Democracy.

In spring 1949 Jim Garst and Clancy Sigal were nominated by the Bruin staff as editor and managing editor. Some student leaders charged that the two favored leftist positions. Garst was chosen editor by the student council, but Sigal (who had been asked by a member of the council whether he was "a Communist") was rejected. The staffers refused to work over the summer, and in the fall a new council approved Sigal. The same council, however, refused to reappoint him in the spring 1950 term. In the spring semester 1951, President Robert Gordon Sproul wrote Provost Clarence Dykstra that he had received letters "pouring in" about opinion columns written by student Art Janov (later the author of The Primal Scream), "including one from the governor's office…."

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The student council turned down the staff's nomination of Jerry Schlapik as editor for the spring 1951 term in favor of conservative Bob Strock, who was then deemed ineligible because of a low grade-point average. On February 7, 1951, the council appointed Martin Brower as editor but also chose Rex Rexrode, a non-staffer, as feature (opinion) editor. Brower immediately submitted his resignation, and the entire non-sports editorial staff resigned. On November 23, 1954, President Robert Gordon Sproul approved a new student-election plan for the newspaper. Dean of Students Milton E. Hahn sent a memorandum to UCLA Chancellor Raymond B. Allen on December 7. 1954. For twenty years there has been no commonly accepted policy regarding the student publications at U.C.L.A. The Bruin has been the chief problem. Editor Martin McReynolds caught word of the plan and published an editorial on December 8, stating that "Someone, probably the Administration, has been planning this change for at least six weeks.

Adapting to the Digital Age: Challenges and Innovations

In recent years, the Daily Bruin has faced the challenges of the digital age, including declining advertising revenues and the need to adapt to online platforms.

In 2013, the Daily Bruin's publisher laid off most of its full-time employees, following more than a decade of consistently declining advertising revenues that reflected the national newspaper industry. Following COVID-19 lockdowns in March 2020, the upper management of the Bruin decided to cease all print operations for the rest of the school year after initially pausing it for the first two weeks of the spring quarter.

Despite these challenges, the Daily Bruin has embraced innovation. In 2013, the Daily Bruin created the "Stonewall" as an online record of sources who "stonewalled," or refused to speak, with reporters. The "Stonewall" was created in effort to maintain transparency with readers about individuals in the community who thwarted Daily Bruin reporters' attempts at providing information.

Bruinwalk.com was founded in 1998 by Patrick Kerkstra, former Daily Bruin editor in chief and Communications Board chair. Originally designed to serve as a Yahoo!-style portal for the campus, early versions featured news from the Daily Bruin and wire services. In 2001, Avishai Shraga led the next generation of student developers as they created Bruinwalk’s professor review feature, which was designed by Brian Donovan. The next version of Bruinwalk saw the addition of social networking. A redesigned Bruinwalk was launched on March 24, 2011. In October 2015, a team of Daily Bruin developers led by Akshay Bakshi and Simon Zou started working on rebuilding Bruinwalk, making the site mobile-friendly and shifting its focus back to professor and apartment reviews. The redesigned site launched Feb. 3, 2016. Bruinwalk, as a service of UCLA Student Media, is published by the UCLA Communications Board.

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Editorial Independence and ASUCLA

The Daily Bruin is published by the ASUCLA Communications Board, which sets policies for the newspaper and other campus communications media.

The Daily Bruin Editorial Board presents the opinions of veteran staff members of the Bruin about topics relating to UCLA. It is made up of five standing members in addition to staff representatives. The board operates separately from the newsroom, and the editorials represent the majority opinion of the board.

Distribution and Reach

The Daily Bruin distributes about 6,000 copies across campus three times a week. The Bruin was published Monday through Friday during the school year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, twice a week during the last week of the quarter, once a week during finals week, and once a week on Mondays in the summer quarter. As of the 2022-2023 school year, the Bruin is published three times a week during the school year on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

A Training Ground for Journalism Excellence: Notable Alumni

The Daily Bruin has served as a training ground for numerous successful journalists and media professionals. Its alumni have gone on to achieve prominence in various fields, including broadcast news, print journalism, and digital media.

Notable Daily Bruin alumni include:

Ralph Bunche ’27: The first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Bunche was a Daily Bruin writer, varsity basketball player, track and field competitor, and debater. He graduated summa cum laude as the valedictorian of his class at UCLA and received an M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University.
Harry Shearer: A comedian and voice actor best known for his roles on “The Simpsons,” Shearer served as The Bruin’s city editor in 1962.
Sylvia Chase: An Emmy Award-winning broadcast news correspondent who helped pave the way for women in television news.
Frank Mankiewicz: A writer and political strategist who served as press secretary to Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, presidential campaign manager for Sen. George S. McGovern and president of National Public Radio.
Matea Gold: A political enterprise and investigations editor for The Washington Post.
Cari Champion: An ESPN SportsCenter anchor and a trailblazer for women of color in broadcast media.
Gary Knell: The CEO of National Geographic Partners.
Patrick Healy: A general assignment reporter for NBC4 Southern California.
Robert Salonga: An award-winning reporter at the San Jose Mercury News.
Hannah Gordon: The chief administrative officer and general counsel of the San Francisco 49ers.
Bill Stout: An Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist known for his work on CBS.
Art Spander: An award-winning sportswriter who currently works as a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner.
Jay Samit: An entrepreneur and digital media innovator.
Adam Yamaguchi: A television correspondent and producer best known for producing the “Vanguard” series on Current TV.
Doug Chiang: Winner of the 1993 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Carol Burnett: Actress best known as the star of “The Carol Burnett Show” for 11 years.

Awards and Recognition

The Daily Bruin and its staffers earn honors at local, state, regional and national levels on an annual basis. The Daily Bruin has received numerous awards and accolades, recognizing its excellence in journalism.

The Daily Bruin has won awards for nation's best online, daily college newspaper. The newspaper has been recognized as an ACP Newspaper Pacemaker.

Other Student Publications at UCLA

Besides the Daily Bruin, UCLA is home to a diverse array of student publications, each catering to specific interests and communities. These publications provide platforms for students to express their voices, explore their identities, and engage with important issues.

Al-Talib: Provides an independent perspective on issues important to Muslim communities.
FEM: UCLA’s feminist newsmagazine, dedicated to the empowerment of all women, the promotion of human rights, the recognition of gender diversity, and the application of intersectional feminism.
Ha’Am: The official student-run Jewish newsmagazine at UCLA since 1972.
La Gente Newsmagazine: Has provided news and opinion of the minority from UCLA since 1971.
NOMMO Newsmagazine: Designed to appeal to those who have an interest in all aspects of community organizing affecting change in education, arts, and social issues that positively or negatively affect members of the Afrikan descent community.
Pacific Ties: The oldest student-run Asian and Pacific Islander newsmagazine in the nation.
BruinLife yearbook: The most historical, all-inclusive (and second-largest) publication on campus.

Continuing the Legacy: The Daily Bruin Alumni Network

The UCLA Daily Bruin Alumni Network actively engages the alumni of the Daily Bruin and serves as a robust and lasting community for all former staff members, in support of each other, our current student-staffers, and The Bruin.

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