The Georgetown Independent, often known as the Indy, is a student-run publication primarily covering media and arts-oriented content. It publishes a monthly issue.
History
The Indy was founded in 1995 by Jeff Burk (L '98) and Rob Hegblom (CAS '97) as a conservative alternative to Georgetown's existing student media outlets, The Hoya and the Voice1. The Indy first received university funding in May 1997 after an extended wait due to its outside funding from the Collegiate Network, an organization that supports conservative student publications2.
In 2001, the Voice noted that the Indy "is still working to establish a stable identity"3, and the publication's focus had shifted significantly since its founding. By 2006, a Hoya article noted that the Indy had "lost its conservative outlook"4. The previous year, Burk and Hegblom each submitted a Letter to the Editor that was published in the Hoya, agreeing with an opinion piece that called for the Indy's demise5, 6. Despite these disavowals, the Indy now fills a distinct niche in Georgetown's campus media environment with extensive coverage of arts, media, and entertainment.
Structure
The Indy consists of several sections. The Reviews section provides reviews of movies, music, and other arts content, while Commentary features articles engaging in broader analysis of these topics. The Spotlight section features interviews of notable arts figures on and off campus, highlighting both Georgetown students and other individuals. Indy Suggests features brief recommendations from Indy writers on topics as wide-ranging as albums and museums. Sass is the Indy's humor section. The Submissions section features art submissions from students, ranging from watercolor pieces to digital art.
- 1Voice Staff. "Inside Campus Journalism at Georgetown." The Georgetown Voice. 5 April 2001.
- 2Heath, Alison. "Independent Joins Campus Press." The Hoya. 29 August 1997.
- 3Voice Staff. "Inside Campus Journalism at Georgetown." The Georgetown Voice. 5 April 2001.
- 4Santulli, Stephen. "The Right's Fight to Write." The Hoya. 7 November 2006.
- 5Burk, Jeffrey. "Indy Strays from Identity." The Hoya. 14 October 2005.
- 6Hegblom, Rob. "Independent Should Be Open to Criticism." The Hoya. 21 October 2005.
