Texas Student Media


Texas Student Media is an auxiliary enterprise of the University of Texas at Austin and the largest student media operation in the United States. It is composed of faculty, student, and professional news industry representatives.

History

UT's first publication was the Cactus Yearbook, established in 1894; followed in 1900 by the weekly Texan. In 1902, the Student Association was formed, partly to oversee UT student publications. In 1921, as more publications emerged, Texas Student Publications, Inc. was formed. Over the years the organization oversaw a number of UT publications:
The Texas Ranger, The Riata, and Texas Engineering and Science Magazine were all cancelled in January 1972 by the TSP Board because they were being published with more liabilities than assets.
In 2002, reflecting its increasing engagement with broadcast media, the organization changed its name to Texas Student Media.

Media properties

The Daily Texan is the most significant of TSM's properties. With a daily print circulation of 14,600 copies and an online presence that reaches an average of 10,600 visitors per day, The Daily Texan is the centerpiece of what has become a $2.3 million multimedia operation.
The following is a comprehensive list of Texas Student Media properties:
A joint student-faculty Board of Operating Trustees sets policy and oversees the operation of student media on behalf of the University of Texas System Board of Regents. The Board also appoints the Director of Student Media, who oversees the daily business functions of TSM. The Director serves renewable annual terms. The Board of Operating Trustees is composed of three faculty members appointed to two year terms by the UT President, two outside media professionals appointed to two year terms by the UT President, and six students elected by the general student body to two year terms.

Board presidents