What Kind of Content Does The Wake (wakemag.org) Publish?
Updated
The Wake is a fortnightly, student-operated news, arts and entertainment publication at the University of Minnesota. It publishes reported campus news alongside arts and culture writing, recurring staff columns, video features, and creative showcases. If you want a student perspective on campus life and the Twin Cities arts scene, it is worth following; if you need daily breaking news or professional-level reporting, its fortnightly rhythm and student staffing mean it will not fill that role.
The Three Core Content Categories
The publication describes itself as covering news, arts and entertainment, and the homepage structure reflects that mix:
- News — campus and student-interest reporting produced by a student editorial team.
- Arts — criticism, profiles, and coverage of creative work, including student art through features like the Art Showcase.
- Entertainment — lighter cultural coverage, including themed pieces and video content.
Because the staff is student-operated, the editorial voice tends to be informal and close to campus experience rather than detached institutional reporting.
Recurring Features Worth Knowing
Beyond one-off articles, The Wake runs several standing features that give the site a magazine-like rhythm:
| Feature | What it is |
|---|---|
| Staff Letters | Signed notes from editors, such as the "Letter from the Art Director" dated November 25, 2024 — useful for understanding editorial direction and behind-the-scenes decisions. |
| Featured Videos | A video section on the homepage, indicating multimedia coverage alongside written pieces. |
| Art Showcase | A recurring series highlighting student visual work (for example, "Art Showcase Vol. 1"). |
| Merch | A merchandise section tied to the "Be a part of the wake!" call to participate. |
The site also includes a search tool ("Looking for a particular author or story?") and a cover slideshow gallery, which help with browsing past issues.
Publication Schedule and How to Follow It
The Wake publishes every two weeks (fortnightly). That cadence matters for how you use it:
- Expect a batch of new stories roughly twice a month rather than a continuous news feed.
- Time-sensitive campus news may appear with a delay compared with daily outlets.
- For regular reading, the site offers a Subscribe option at wakemag.org/subscribe — the natural entry point if you want to keep up without checking back manually.
Who It Suits — and Who It Doesn't
A good fit if you:
- Are a University of Minnesota student or alum who wants campus-centered coverage.
- Follow student art, writing, and creative showcases.
- Prefer a curated, magazine-style read over a rolling news feed.
Look elsewhere if you:
- Need same-day coverage of breaking campus events.
- Want professional or institutional reporting on university policy.
- Are researching a topic that requires frequent updates.
Getting Started
Start at the homepage to see the current issue's mix, use the author/story search if you are tracking a specific writer, and check the Staff Letters section to gauge the editors' current focus. If the fortnightly mix matches your interests, subscribing is the simplest way to stay current.