May 2023 brought a plethora of awards for student media, however, it also marked the end of an era for the Kentucky Kernel, the student-run, award-winning newspaper for the University of Kentucky, as it published its last weekly print edition. The Kernel will move to printing only special sections with a focus on primarily online publication.
Student media advisor Ryan Craig, 2022-2023 editor-in-chief Rayleigh Deaton and incoming 2023-2024 editor-in-chief Hannah Stanley all played a role in making this decision.
Deaton said the group’s decision to move away from weekly printing was not made from necessity or cost, but rather because of the media industry’s shift toward digital-first publication and consumption.
“The ways that people are consuming new are changing and it’s our responsibility to adapt how we disseminate information to best serve the needs of the public,” Deaton said.
Deaton said this decision was not made lightly, but she and the Kernel team know it was the right move for the future of the outlet.
“I know all of us at the Kernel have a special place in our hearts for printed media and there is truly nothing like holding a physical manifestation of your hard work in your hands and seeing it shared across campus, but we know it was the right decision, as it will allow the staff to focus its energy on better serving the campus community,” Deaton said.
