Central Florida Future
Encyclopedia
The Central Florida Future is the independent student-run newspaper
of the University of Central Florida
, which is located in Orlando
, Florida
, United States
. The Future is published every Monday and Thursday with a circulation of 45,000 copies.
The Future was a part of the University upon its opening in 1968, but was later made independent. In 2007, the paper was purchased by Florida Today
, which is owned by Gannett.
In the beginning Future held its offices in the UCF Library just as many other organizations did in the early years of the university's history.
). Subsequently, this means that the offices were moved off campus.
In February 2007, Florida Today
purchased Knight Newspapers, Inc. which included the Central Florida Future. Florida Today
is owned by Gannett, which makes the Future the second student-run university paper to be purchased by Gannet, the first being the FSView & Florida Flambeau
of Florida State University
.
After purchasing the Future, Gannett moved their production offices from the original independent office on Rouse Road to the current location on High Tech Drive, within the Research Quadrangle. Gannett also moved in three other products within the same office: The Seminole Chronicle, a weekly newspaper covering Seminole County, Moms Like Me, a monthly magazine for mothers, and Saves, a coupon booklet packaged with the Future.
The Future is an affiliate of UWIRE, a wire service
produced by student journalists at more than 800 colleges and universities across the United States, giving the paper access to news, sports, features, entertainment and opinion articles by the other members.
region three conference, the staff of the "Central Florida Future," at the time led by Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Riley, was awarded two first-place awards. The first award was for "Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper", and the second was for "Best Affiliated Website." Both awards had not been won by the Future before. Also at the conference, writers for the Future won first and second-place awards for "Online Sports Reporting", first place in "Feature Writing", and first place in "Sports Writing".
Student newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
of the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
, which is located in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Future is published every Monday and Thursday with a circulation of 45,000 copies.
The Future was a part of the University upon its opening in 1968, but was later made independent. In 2007, the paper was purchased by Florida Today
Florida Today
Florida Today is the major daily newspaper serving Brevard County. The Gannett corporation bought the paper in 1966.In addition to its regular daily publication, Florida Today publishes four weekly and eight biweekly community newspapers which are tailored for distinct neighborhoods within Brevard...
, which is owned by Gannett.
Origins
The Central Florida Future has been in publication since the first day of class held at the Orlando campus in 1968. The name of the Future is derrived from the original name of the University of Central Florida, The Florida Technological University (FuTUre). The words Central Florida were added around the time the school changed to the University of Central Florida.In the beginning Future held its offices in the UCF Library just as many other organizations did in the early years of the university's history.
Drafting the UCF mascot
When the University first held classes, the students had no choice for the mascot and the Citronaut was decided on by the administration. After a year, students petitioned the student government for a new mascot and in response the Future published what its staffers felt were important criteria for a new mascot. It was published that the new mascot should incorporate the following attributes: An animal that flew, as the school motto is "Reach for the Stars"; it should also be virtuous; include the school colors of black and gold; and should be something unique because "FTU stressed the importance of individuality." Shortly thereafter a student health center nurse, Judy Hines, followed the criteria as published by the Future and came up with Vincent the Vulture. This mascot stuck officially for a year until it changed to the Knights of Pegasus.Becoming independent
In 1993 the Future was made independent of the University of Central Florida becoming part of Knight Newspapers, Inc. (Owner of the Future and the Seminole ChronicleSeminole Chronicle
The Seminole Chronicle is a weekly community newspaper that serves Oviedo and Winter Springs, Florida , United States. The Chronicle is published every Thursday with a circulation of 10,000 copies....
). Subsequently, this means that the offices were moved off campus.
In February 2007, Florida Today
Florida Today
Florida Today is the major daily newspaper serving Brevard County. The Gannett corporation bought the paper in 1966.In addition to its regular daily publication, Florida Today publishes four weekly and eight biweekly community newspapers which are tailored for distinct neighborhoods within Brevard...
purchased Knight Newspapers, Inc. which included the Central Florida Future. Florida Today
Florida Today
Florida Today is the major daily newspaper serving Brevard County. The Gannett corporation bought the paper in 1966.In addition to its regular daily publication, Florida Today publishes four weekly and eight biweekly community newspapers which are tailored for distinct neighborhoods within Brevard...
is owned by Gannett, which makes the Future the second student-run university paper to be purchased by Gannet, the first being the FSView & Florida Flambeau
FSView & Florida Flambeau
The FSView & Florida Flambeau is a for-profit newspaper owned by the Gannett Company that covers the on-campus events, happenings, and trends of the Florida State University as well as concerts, museum and art exhibits, movies, literature and poetry readings, and other events from the larger...
of Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
.
After purchasing the Future, Gannett moved their production offices from the original independent office on Rouse Road to the current location on High Tech Drive, within the Research Quadrangle. Gannett also moved in three other products within the same office: The Seminole Chronicle, a weekly newspaper covering Seminole County, Moms Like Me, a monthly magazine for mothers, and Saves, a coupon booklet packaged with the Future.
Circulation
The Future prints 45,000 copies every Monday and Thursday during the fall, spring, and summer semesters, and distributes the papers throughout campus and in the surrounding area through the use of more than 200 newspaper boxes. For the fall 2009 semester, budget cuts and the economic recession forced the paper to cut printing from Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters and switch to Monday and Thursday publishing for all semesters.The Future is an affiliate of UWIRE, a wire service
Wire Service
Wire Service is an American drama series that aired on ABC as part of its 1956-57 season lineup.-Synopsis:Wire Service focuses on three reporters for the fictional Trans-Globe wire service, which was similar to real-life news wire services such as the Associated Press and United Press International...
produced by student journalists at more than 800 colleges and universities across the United States, giving the paper access to news, sports, features, entertainment and opinion articles by the other members.
Awards
In Spring 2010, at the Society of Professional JournalistsSociety of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
region three conference, the staff of the "Central Florida Future," at the time led by Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Riley, was awarded two first-place awards. The first award was for "Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper", and the second was for "Best Affiliated Website." Both awards had not been won by the Future before. Also at the conference, writers for the Future won first and second-place awards for "Online Sports Reporting", first place in "Feature Writing", and first place in "Sports Writing".