The Observer: A Cornerstone of Student Journalism at the University of Notre Dame
The Observer stands as the independent student newspaper serving the tri-campus community of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's, and Holy Cross. Founded in 1966, it holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating student newspaper at the University of Notre Dame. The newspaper focuses on local events, campus issues, and matters affecting students, staff, and the broader community.
A History of Independence and Student Voice
Prior to 1966, Notre Dame lacked a dedicated student publication focused on local coverage. Students relied on external or university-controlled outlets for information. The Observer filled this gap by providing timely reporting on campus events, student life, and community issues. The Observer was established in 1966 by students at the University of Notre Dame as an independent campus newspaper.
From its inception, The Observer has operated as an editorially independent publication, controlled entirely by its student staff without oversight from the University of Notre Dame administration. This structure ensures that content decisions, including reporting on sensitive campus issues, remain free from institutional influence. Demonstrations of this commitment include instances where The Observer has defied university directives to uphold journalistic principles. While occasional tensions with administrators have arisen, the newspaper's consistent self-description as "the independent newspaper serving Notre Dame, Saint Mary's, and Holy Cross" reinforces its operational ethos. No verified instances exist of sustained university interference in core editorial functions, supporting claims of robust, though not absolute, insulation from external pressures.
In 1987, some students believed that The Observer began to show a conservative bias, so a liberal newspaper, Common Sense was published. It continued on until at least 2005. In 2003, other students believed that the paper had a left-leaning bias, and they started The Irish Rover, a twice-monthly publication that features regular columns from alumni and faculty in addition to coverage of campus matters.
Content and Coverage
Print editions of The Observer are issued tri-weekly during the academic year-typically Monday, Wednesday, and Friday-totaling around 20-36 pages per issue. Online updates provide more frequent digital access via ndsmcobserver.com. Through the 1970s and into the 1980s, The Observer solidified its position as Notre Dame's primary student news outlet, incorporating coverage of Saint Mary's College events and maintaining a print schedule that evolved with technological and financial constraints.
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The Observer covers a wide range of topics relevant to the Notre Dame community. For example, a recent article discussed the transformation of Flip Kitchen in Lafortune into Fujisan Sushi on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. The article notes that while the exterior remains the same, the food is a whole new experience. The first cool mornings of October wrap Notre Dame’s campus in a kind of magic, one might say … mist curling above the quads, golden leaves crunching underfoot and everything suddenly feeling cinematic. This past Friday, the Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) detained senior Libby Garnett, who has been charged with unauthorized squatting and inadvertent arson. Firefighters were dispatched in response to a small fire on North Quad, in front of Farley Hall.
On October 15, 2020, The Observer ran a front page in which a talk by former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan was placed above a story describing an on-campus event involving Angela Davis. After receiving a single comment on "social media criticizing the page layout for placing greater emphasis on the former speaker’s lecture rather than the legendary Black academic’s," editor-in-chief Maria Leontaras and managing editor Mariah Rush responded to the criticism in a column dated on October 16, the following day, stating that "[w]hile Ryan’s former position and political stature warrant a top space in a typical newsroom, The Observer is working toward becoming a more socially aware outlet.
Controversies and Bias Accusations
Critics, particularly from conservative student groups, have alleged that The Observer exhibits a liberal bias in its editorial selections and coverage, prioritizing progressive causes over conservative or traditional Catholic perspectives. Further allegations include uneven coverage of contentious issues, such as underemphasizing challenges to Catholic orthodoxy on topics like abortion and sexual morality while amplifying progressive activism on campus. The paper maintains that its coverage reflects campus realities and prioritizes factual reporting, though it has not issued formal audits or bias assessments to address systemic critiques.
In response, The Observer has defended its independence, asserting no editorial oversight from Notre Dame administration and adherence to journalistic objectivity in news reporting, while distinguishing opinion sections as platforms for diverse student views. Staff have countered bias accusations by highlighting perceived ideological excesses in competitors like The Irish Rover, as in a November 2025 op-ed accusing the latter of "biased journalism" that attacks individuals rather than engaging ideas substantively.
One notable controversy involved a March 2019 article titled "The Legging Problem," which sparked protests and backlash.
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Influence and Alumni Success
The Observer has played a significant role in shaping the careers of aspiring journalists. George Dohrmann, who served as sports editor of The Observer during 1993 and 1994 and as production manager in 1993, credited his experience there with shaping his career in investigative sports journalism. After graduating in 1995 with a degree in American Studies, Dohrmann joined the St. Paul Pioneer Press, where he earned the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting for his series on abuses in Minnesota youth hockey.
Opportunities in Student Media at Notre Dame
Aspiring media professionals will find plenty of opportunities at Notre Dame to share their talents, hone their craft, and prepare for a rewarding career in the media. Notre Dame Student Media is located on the second floor of the Duncan Student Center. Students can write, edit, or design for Scholastic, the nation’s longest continuously running collegiate publication. They can also contribute to WSND-FM, The Sound of the University of Notre Dame, which is the classical and fine arts radio station broadcasting to the Michiana area on 88.9 FM and streaming online. Additionally, students can help document the year in student life for the Dome, which has been Notre Dame’s yearbook since 1906. Finally, students can submit their best ND student poetry, fiction, photography and artwork to The Juggler, a biannual literary magazine, where they can edit, design or just contribute their creative work.
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