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SPRING 2026 ORIENTATION

Welcome to

Have questions during the presentation?

Write ’em down!

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We’ll have a Q&A at the end

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Meet your Executive Management Team

Alli Pardue

Editor-in-Chief

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editor@dailytarheel.com

(336) 428-5361

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Avery Thatcher

Digital Managing Editor

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digital@dailytarheel.com

(919) 971-7244

Madelyn Rowley

Print Managing Editor

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print@dailytarheel.com

(702) 613-8625

Daneen Khan

Community Engagement

Managing Editor

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community@dailytarheel.com

(919) 397-2328

And…

Will Lingo

Executive Director

News Adviser

DTH Dad

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director@dailytarheel.com

Hazel Doodlebug

Chief of Staff Morale

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dog@dailytarheel.com

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What exactly is

The Daily Tar Heel?

First of all… it’s

The Daily Tar Heel

and The DTH

The Daily Tar Heel is one of the best student newspapers in the country,

serving UNC and the surrounding community. From print editions, to online articles,

to social media posts, to newsletters, to podcasts, and everything in between,

The DTH has been a trusted news source for 132 years.

The DTH’s existential question

What are the news and information needs of our audience, and how do we meet them?

A bit about The DTH

• We are 132 years old. Our birthday is February 23, 1893
• We are editorially, and financially, independent. This is hugely important for our newspaper. This means we do not accept any money from the University that we cover, and therefore, the University has no say over what we publish.
• Our alumni include notable journalists, lawyers, business owners and other professionals at every level.

DTH Media Corp.

• DTH Media Corp. is an official UNC student organization and a 501(c)3 nonprofit �overseen by a Board of Directors and professional staff
• All three wings operate separately, but they are all staffed entirely by UNC students.
• The only non-student employees are the executive director and the sales director, as well as a part-time bookkeeper.

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The Newsroom (you)

DTH Media Corporation

Brand Studio

Ad Staff

How we do news:

Logistics for you to know

Where is our office?

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109 E. Franklin Street Suite #210

(Between Epilogue and the Hemp Store)

Where our content goes

All of our content, print and online, is free :)

• Print: The DTH prints about 10,000 copies of the newspaper, which goes out on Wednesdays to the blue boxes on and around campus.
• Online: We publish articles on our website every day.
• Email Newsletters: We send out a daily newsletter, DTH At A Glance, every weekday to more than 60,000 people. We also send five weekly newsletters.
• Social Media: We post our content on X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube. Instagram is our most popular platform, and our 56.7k followers is (almost) the most of any college media outlet

The life of a story…

Assign ("Shell")

Editors assign stories to writers 1-2 days in advance of deadlines (excluding enterprise stories)

Photo/Design/AV/Data Request

Editors should submit a photo or design request for every story they assign.

Research, Report, Write

Use reputable sources, CQ them properly. Raise and answer questions as they come up.

Read with Assistant Editor

Assistants conduct the first (and longest) read with writers (edit for content, structure, facts)

Read with Editor

Editors conduct the final desk read with writers (edit for content, facts, style)

Read with Management

Management then reads the story with the writer and edits with greater context in mind

Copy Read x 2

Copy Desk staffers do copy 1 reads, editors do copy 2 reads (checks every CQ, edits for AP Style and DTH Style)

Art Attached

Photo, Design, or Data add their visuals to each story. ALL STORIES NEED ART!

Pubbed

Online!

Woohoo! Art desks, management, or copy pub stories.

Audience Engagement sends it out

Story is promoted via social channels and/or email with captions, graphics, etc

The newsroom is divided into “desks”

• 4 managing editors oversee all 12 desks
• Each desk has at least 1 editor
• Most desks have 1-3 assistant editors
• Each desk has between 10-40 staffers

Writing Desks

University: Covers UNC, students, campus government, and the UNC System

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City & State: Covers N.C. issues and politics, Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Orange County

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Sports: Covers sporting events related to the University

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Lifestyle: Covers the local community, arts and culture

Writing Desks

Opinion: Produces and curates opinion content that reflect viewpoints from within the newsroom and beyond

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Investigations: Produces stories or groups of stories that are often the result of long-term reporting and investigating

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Multimedia Desks

Photo Desk: Takes photos, writes photo captions, edits and uploads the photos

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Design Desk: Creates graphics for stories and designs print pages

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Audio-Visual Desk: Produces audio and video content to accompany written reporting, as well as standalone pieces

Multimedia Desks

Data: Creates data visualizations (graphs, charts), reviews and organizes data sets

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Copy: Reads over every story to fact check for accuracy, grammar and style

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Audience Engagement: Makes DTH social media content, manages DTH social media accounts, writes the daily newsletter

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Management

Editor-in-Chief

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Oversees the entire newsroom and unites it with clear vision and goals for the school year, works closely with other members of DTH Media Corp.

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Print Managing Editor

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In charge of content production for our weekly print paper and special print editions.

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Community Engagement Managing Editor

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Spearheads outreach and engagement on all levels: internally with newsroom staff, and externally with our university and community audiences, and industry professionals.

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Digital Managing Editor

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In charge of daily content production for the DTH website. We print once a week, but we publish stories online every day.

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Becoming an Editor

• There’s no one path, and it’s usually not a straight line
• Very different job, compared to reporter/staffer
• New editors are hired each school year
• Sometimes positions open up during the school year
• If you have interest or just want to learn more about being an editor, talk to someone about it

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What it takes:

• Time commitment
• Passion for the work we do at The DTH
• Strong understanding of your desk
• Leadership skills and the ability to work with others
• Good news judgment

Editor Life

Here’s how we work:

3:30 p.m. — BUDGET!

• Editors and management discuss stories coming in that day
• On Sundays, we also do a print budget

4-7 p.m. — PRIMETIME!

• Reads, edits, hustle and bustle with editors, staffers, writers

7 p.m. — Management deadline (8 p.m. on Monday)

• Management is finishing up reads
• Copy Desk is checking for grammar, accuracy and style
• Audience Engagement is working on socials and newsletters

9 p.m. — Copy deadline (10 p.m. on Monday)

10 p.m. — Final deadline (11 p.m. on Monday)

Newsroom Jargon

• Slug: The internally-used “names” of stories. Format is desk-keywords-storytype. For instance, university-lee-roberts-feature.
• Shell: The outline of a story assignment for writing desks
• Story length: Editors will always talk about stories in terms of inches, not word count. The formula for includes will always be word count / 40. So a 600 word story would be budgeted as 14-16 inches.
• A1: the full front page in the print paper.
• Enterprise: Long-form stories, in-depth features and investigations.
• Feature: A story that focuses on a specific person or organization.
• Utility: A story that aims to provide the community with information, as opposed to traditional reporting.

Art Jargon

• Fresh art: A new photo taken for a specific story.
• File: Photos or graphics that the DTH has already taken and can be used in a pinch.
• Contrib: When someone else gives us a photo to use. Might also be referred in budget as “contrib back up” if fresh art falls through.
• Wire: Photos taken from an online source like the Associated Press, Getty Images, etc. Typically only used for opinion pieces — like a photo of Taylor Swift.
• Graphic: Artistic or informational graphic made by the design team.

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Rules, Deadlines

and Discipline (oh my!)

Expectations

• Always try to make deadline. Always.
• If you run into delays, LET US KNOW!

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• By the end of your first semester, you are expected to…
• Reporters: write 6 stories
• Multimedia staffers: complete 6-8 print/digital assignments
• Copy & Audience: complete your assigned shifts each week

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• Always be eager to learn on the job

Workshops

• Requirements
• Your first semester at The DTH: 4 (2 DEI)
• Then every following semester: 2 (1 DEI)
• They don’t have to be desk-specific
• Attending & Logging Workshops
• Plan with Google Calendar
• Fill out Attendance Form
• (Password given during workshop)

Deadlines, and why they matter

Writing the news is a team sport!

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If a writer misses a deadline, it affects everyone down the line and other people have to stay late!

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That said, we understand that unexpected things will come up. Do your best to establish a routine and

let your editor know if an assignment is going to be late!

Strike system

3 strikes, you’re out.

• All staff members are expected to conduct themselves with courtesy while representing The DTH.

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• We have a weighted strike system for disciplinary action:
• 1 strike for minor infractions
• 1.5 strikes for medium infractions
• 3 strikes for major infractions

1 strike

• Repeatedly missing deadline on online stories
• Being unnecessarily rude to staff/sources
• Not reaching semester’s article minimum
• Unexplained absence of more than 7 days, with 1 strike per additional 7 days
• Recklessly misquoting a source
• Unethical communication with sources/reckless conflict on interest
• Not meeting your workshop quota for the semester

1.5 strikes

• Missing print deadline multiple times
• Partial plagiarism
• Partial AI use
• Editing multiple quotes in an article
• Falsification of documents / facts
• Repeated or reckless insubordination

3 strikes

• Full plagiarism
• Full AI use
• Editing multiple quotes multiple times
• Theft of office property
• Sexual harassment
• Physical violence of any sort
• Intentionally racist or inflammatory offense in general or directed at any individual
• Intentional threats of violence of any sort

Story Requirements

• Length — varies, TBD by your editor
• 3 human sources MINIMUM
• Diversify your sources — what perspectives are not in your story?
• Identification of sources — For every person interviewed in your story: make sure you ask for the spelling of their name, pronouns, position/how they’d like to be referenced in the story
• Check these things before you turn in your story
• Make note of how a person’s name is pronounced
• CQs — any fact that is verifiable in your story, needs to have a CQ. This means in the document with your story, you’ve added links that will back up every fact, name, proper noun, etc.

IMPORTANT POLICIES

Conflict of interest:

• You CANNOT be involved in Student Government.
• You CANNOT be involved in partisan organizations or publications (Young Dems, Carolina Review, etc..)
• If you want to work for other publications or do interviews on other outlets, clear it with the EIC
• Disclose any conflict that could make a story difficult for you to report on

General ethics

• Don’t use close friends or family members as sources! (professors and roommates, too)
• Be careful about your social media usage, especially on public accounts, as you are now a representative of The DTH
• Don’t plagiarize or make up quotes (we beg of you, don’t get us sued)
• Don’t sign petitions (especially SBP — and yes, we check them!)
• Accuracy is the #1 way to ensure you are not violating any ethical rules!

Corrections

• Accuracy: the most important aspect of being a reporter!
• Issuing Corrections
• If something in a story is misquoted, misleading or factually inaccurate
• Mistakes happen, but we want to be trusted as a go-to local news source, and frequent corrections compromise that
• Apologizing to Sources: You will fix the correction with your editors and email any sources to apologize if necessary

General Tips

If someone says it’s raining and another person says it’s dry, it’s not your job to quote them both. Your job is to look out the window and find out which is true.

KEEP THESE IN MIND

Interview Basics

• Do your research beforehand
• Always record AND take good notes
• Don’t forget to ask for name AND spelling AND pronouns
• DO NOT ask “Yes/No” questions

Interview Etiquette

• Always identify yourself and ask to record the interview.
• Request an interview in a polite, respectful manner. It is not our place to demand that sources speak to us.
• Be respectful of boundaries, and make sure your questions are focused on the story.
• Let our sources speak for themselves.

Adding Quotes in Stories

• Attribute every single quote
• “I like pizza,” Daily Tar Heel Editor-in-Chief Alli Pardue said. “It is very good.”

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• The Difference:
• Pardue loves that there’s a new Cook Out in Chapel Hill.
• Pardue said she loves that there’s a new Cook Out in Chapel Hill.

DTH Relationships with BSM, SAGA

• From 2020-2024, the Black Student Movement did not conduct interviews with The Daily Tar Heel. Shortly after and in solidarity with BSM, UNC’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) made the same decision.
• As a historically white newsroom at a predominantly white institution, The DTH has a long history of reporting that has harmed this community on campus, and others.
• The last two years of newsroom leadership have worked hard and successfully repaired this relationship.

Learning from mistakes

• If you want a comment on BSM or SAGA as a whole, ask the presidents, NOT individual members of the groups (this is true for any organization).
• Treat your sources with respect: they do not owe you their time.
• Your sources are human beings: treat them as such.
• If you are reporting about a sensitive subject and are unsure about how best to reach out to sources, talk to your editors and our DEI Coordinator.

Resources for you!

Join Slack!

1. DTH Media Corp.
2. AND Your Desk

Bookmark the DTH Linktree!

https://linktr.ee/dthgeneral

HR complaints

• Come chat about personal issues, newsroom issues, or if you just need to vent
• Or, use the anonymous form on Linktree
• editor@dailytarheel.com

Alli Pardue

Editor-in-Chief

• DEI-related concerns
• Come chat, or use the anonymous form on Linktree
• dei@dailytarheel.com

Dania Al Hadeethi

DEI Coordinator

• Issues with management
• Serious “real adult” issues
• Professional advice
• bookkeeper@dailytarheel.com

Sarah Ederle

Bookkeeper, wisdom keeper

And lastly…

Alli’s phone number: (336) 428-5361

Save it. You might need it.

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GO ENGAGE!

Twitter: @dailytarheel

Instagram: @dailytarheel

TikTok: @dailytarheel

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POP QUIZ

The Daily Tarheel announced that it’s next managing editor will be first-year Allie Pardue.

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Pardue, who was The Daily Tarheel’s former video editor, said she is excited about the new role.

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“I am really happy that I was selected, and I can’t wait to get to work.”

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The Daily Tar Heel announced Friday that its next editor-in-chief will be junior Alli Pardue.

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Pardue, who was The DTH’s former Audience Engagement Editor, said she is excited about the new role.

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“I am really happy that I was selected, and I can’t wait to get to work,” she said.

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Confused yet?

DEI 2025-2026

Dania Al Hadeethi

Who am I?

• DEI Coordinator for the 2025-2026 year

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• I’m a junior studying political science and global studies with a minor in data science.

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• I’m also a writer on the investigations desk!

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What is the role of the DEI Coordinator?

I lead the DEI committee and together we ensure we maintain a welcoming, inclusive, and uplifting environment both within our workspace and in our work.

• Source Auditing
• External & Internal Auditing
• Style Guides
• Exit Surveys
• DEI Workshops & Affinity Groups

DEI Committee

What is the committee?

• We are a group of people who meet to discuss ways to improve our coverage and the newsroom for everyone.

How can I join?

• An application will be sent out soon for both new staffers and those who have been a part of the newsroom to join

Source Audit

Forms that guage who we are interviewing. Creating reports based on the data with feedback, common sources, critiques, etc.

Workshops / Groups

Internal Audit

Exit Surveys

External Audit

Style Guides

Implementing and updating guides to navigate reporting on sensitive communities

Determining the root cause of staff turnover for reasons other than graduation

looking at staff’’s demographics and views on our coverage

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How readers feel about The DTH, who we are reaching.

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Facilitating discussions on maintaining diversity within reporting and creating ways to build relationships within the newsroom

DEI Committee

Sharif Durhams Leadership Program

• Sharif Durhams was the first Black editor-in-chief at The Daily Tar Heel, serving from 1998-1999.

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• A talent and leadership development course for anyone in The DTH from underrepresented groups

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• Goal is to create equity and connect those students with professional opportunities

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What else is in the role of the DEI Coordinator?

• Review sensitive stories or stories about underrepresented groups. These communities include, but are not limited to:
• Race/ethnicity
• Sexuality/gender
• Ability
• Class
• Nation of origin
• Assist with DEI-related stories
• This can include:
• Helping find sources
• Helping come up with interview questions

DEI Workshops!

• Around 10 per semester
• Live viewing is required!
• Expectations: Staffers required to attend two DEI workshops their first semester. Attendance will be documented
• There will be makeup workshops
• You must reach out to us directly if you can not attend

What should you be on the lookout for?

• An application to join the DEI Committee!
• Application for Sharif Durhams Leadership program
• An interest form for affinity groups!
• Religious/cultural days of observance form
• This semester’s DEI workshops!
• Staffer DEI Complaint form- a place to report any DEI-related complaints, concerns, or questions

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Contact information:

• dei@dailytarheel.com
• almdani@unc.edu
• (919) 717-5763
• You can also contact me through Slack!

From 1893 til now

Executive Director Will Lingo

The DTH at 132

• We print weekly during the regular school year, along with special editions throughout the year
• We have 130,000 monthly visitors to dailytarheel.com, and more than 60,000 subscribers to multiple email newsletters
• DTH Media Corp. has nearly 300 UNC students working in various capacities over the year – around 80 receive financial support

DTH Media Corp., a 501(c)3 non-profit

The Daily Tar Heel is fully independent from the university, though we are a recognized (affiliated) UNC student organization. Students run the newsroom, the ad staff and the Brand Studio.The umbrella organization is overseen by a Board of Directors and has professional staff members that run the overall business.

Will Lingo

Executive Director

director@dailytarheel.com

Sarah Ederle

Bookkeeper

bookkeeper@dailytarheel.com

Megan McGinity

Sales Director

megan@dailytarheel.com

About me

• UNC / DTH alum and true believer
• First job was reporter at Winston-Salem Journal
• Spent 20 years at Baseball America, eventually becoming editor then publisher
• Started a marketing agency in 2018
• Served on the DTH board before getting this job
• I’m here to make your work easier

What I do

• My main job is to make sure the business thrives so you can thrive and the people who come after you can thrive
• I’ve done pretty much any job there is to do in media, so I have experience on the editorial and business sides
• I’m still learning how everything works in and around the DTH, and trying to improve our systems
• Over time I want to see the business grow and expand into new areas
• But what I really care about is the journalism stuff, so I’m always happy to talk about that
• I’ll offer my opinion on anything, but I’m not here to tell you what to do

What I

don’t do

• Assign stories
• Review the news ahead of time UNLESS ASKED; I’m happy to chime in when needed, but the editorial staff makes the final call
• Interfere with newsroom decisions (hiring, management, etc.); happy to talk through options
• Tell editors what to cover

Why The DTH has been so important for so long

• The Daily Tar Heel is the best newspaper (media source) in the state. Period.
• As media outlets continue to cut back on everything, we are growing and thriving
• We apply higher standards to our reporting and editing than most media outlets
• So don’t be afraid to try new things and make mistakes
• If you do your best and do the work, you will thrive

About the office

• 109 E. Franklin Street
• We’ve done a lot of work to improve the office in the last year, and we’ll keep doing that; let me know if you have suggestions
• Clean up after yourself
• The editorial staff, ad staff, Brand Studio and professional staff all share the space, not to mention the other tenants of the building. Be respectful and act like somebody.

History of the DTH

• We were born on February 23, 1893
• EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE! It is the cornerstone of what makes this a student-led media enterprise. And it’s why we are independent from the university (esp. financially)
• True student leadership is also what sets us apart
• Our alumni include notable journalists, lawyers, business owners and other professionals everywhere
• Each editor sets up their staff a little differently, building on the year before.
• You’ll never forget being part of the DTH, and you’ll probably never feel as strongly about any other job

How to Connect at the DTH

• Spend time in the newsroom
• Participate in desk and newsroom events
• Don’t be afraid to talk to people
• Do your best work
• The cliches are true (what you put into it is what you get out of it, etc.)
• Rivalry Challenge
• DTH 133rd Birthday Celebration, Saturday Feb. 21� Journalism Panels at Carroll Hall in the morning� Party at Morehead Planetarium in the evening� MORE INFO AND TICKETS AT https://DTH133.eventbrite.com

Trust, But Verify

(I scare you about libel)

Why accuracy and context matters

• The DTH is a learning lab, which means we expect stumbles on your path to being a good journalist. Everyone goes through it, the key is LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES AND STAY ACCOUNTABLE.
• Make every effort to get your facts straight and double-check everything and you’re more than halfway there.
• More often than not, mistakes are a result of being careless or lazy
• Do not libel anyone in our paper or on our website or in any of our social channels.
• We have libel insurance, but the deductible is $25,000

What the heck is it?

It starts with DEFAMATION

• Defamation is any false information that harms the reputation of a person, business or organization
• Libel refers to defamatory statements that are broadcast or published; slander is usually verbal
• Some things are defamatory on their face, such as saying someone is bad at their job, corrupt, or promiscuous; other things can be considered defamatory in context

Libel questions?

More Advice on Getting Started

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• Make your interviews as conversational as possible
• LISTEN, and react to what a person says rather than going exactly by a list of questions
• Thank people for their time
• Pay attention during management reads and DON’T BE PRECIOUS ABOUT YOUR BEAUTIFUL WORDS
• Prepare, prepare, prepare
• Read the news, read books, read everything
• Do the work and make deadlines
• Do required workshops and take them seriously
• If there is something you want to learn, ask your desk editor

Annnnd done.

Final round of questions?