University’s digital newsroom an oasis in ‘a media desert’

The problem is compounded at Governors State University, a south suburban Chicago institution whose 5,500-student enrollment might attract journalists in most other markets. Sitting 40 miles outside of major urban area filled with colleges, however, Governor’s State tends to get overlooked by TV camera crews and newspaper reporters seeking a story.

“We’re in a really weird location in terms of media market,” says Keisha Dyson, assistant vice president of marketing and communications. “We’re actually in a media desert, and we have very limited resources. We have a very small staff.”

This year, Governors State is seeing results from a new content strategy with the launch of its new digital newsroom. The site is run on PressPage software, which eases posting and social media sharing. (PressPage is a Ragan partner.)

“Before, we didn’t have anything,” Dyson says. “We did not have a newsroom. This is baseline data for us, which is why we’re thrilled, because before we were getting no attention.”

Student article wins coverage