What Is Reporter Magazine at RIT?

Updated

Reporter Magazine is Rochester Institute of Technology's only student-run news publication, serving the RIT community since 1951. It is an independent, student-operated outlet that covers campus and Rochester-area news, issues affecting students, and feature stories, published across print, video, and audio formats. If you want RIT news reported by students rather than the administration, this is the publication to follow.

Who runs it and what it covers

The magazine describes itself as "RIT's Student Run Magazine Since 1951" and states it is the university's only student-run news publication. Its stated mission is in-depth coverage of events on and off campus and of issues affecting students.

Coverage falls into a few recognizable buckets, based on the stories currently featured on the site:

  • Campus news and administration — for example, reporting on RIT's Honors Program reducing its credit overload limit, changes to the SAU vendor program, and the revocation of a fraternity's recognition.
  • Student life and safety — pieces such as "Partying Safely 101," coverage of RIT tunnel flooding, and a fire department response to a possible lightning strike.
  • Metro/Rochester stories — local coverage beyond campus, such as a community litter-cleanup effort and a feature on the naming of Lake Ontario.
  • Investigative and accountability reporting — stories on illegal student surveillance and student reaction to surveillance-related arrests.
  • Enrollment and institutional trends — reporting on drops in international enrollment.

Formats: print, video, and podcast

Reporter is not a single-format outlet. The site lists three main channels:

Format What you'll find
Print / written stories The core news and feature reporting, organized by section (Campus, Metro, etc.) and by month
Video A "Reporter Video News" series with reported segments, e.g., "Beyond the Bricks"
Audio / podcast A bi-weekly news show, "This Week (and Also Last Week) With Reporter," with short segments on RIT and Rochester news

There is also an active Instagram presence (@reportermag) where the publication shares stories and updates.

How to use the site

  1. Start on the homepage to see the most recent stories, which are listed with headline, author, and date.
  2. Browse by section or month — stories are grouped under headings like Campus and Metro, and the site organizes recent content by month (e.g., "October 2026").
  3. Check the podcast page if you prefer audio; the bi-weekly show summarizes recent RIT and Rochester news.
  4. Watch the video section for reported visual segments.

A practical note: because the publication is student-run and updated continuously, the newest items on the homepage are the best signal of what is current. Older stories remain accessible by month.

Getting involved

Reporter states it is interested in hearing from students who want to contribute and advises keeping an eye out for job postings and reaching out to the team. If you are an RIT student interested in reporting, editing, video, or audio, that is the stated path to participation — though specific roles, deadlines, and any compensation are not described on the page, so you would need to contact the team directly.

What to keep in mind

  • It is student-produced, not an official RIT communications channel. The magazine describes itself as student-run and frames its editor's note around frustration with the administration and student body — a signal that it operates with editorial independence.
  • Coverage is RIT-centric with a Rochester extension. If you need news about the wider Rochester region, the Metro section is the place to look, but the primary focus is the campus community.
  • No pricing or access restrictions are indicated on the page; the content is presented as a public news site.