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The KRED Problem

I hate to congratulate JL, really I do. But what a satisfying article on KRED. For four years I have cringed at that rag's servility, its obsequiousness, its irrelevance. The knowledge that my frustrations were shared will comfort me as I prepare to leave this place. Nevertheless someone has to keep the old windbag on his toes, and being the Nice Guy in our relationship I have come up with some excuses for the KRED “problem”.

Concede it - the editor of KRED faces a number of obstacles.

1. He faces a skills shortage. There just aren't as many bright-sparks-on-tap as at larger or more elite universities.

2. He has a biting-the-hand-that feeds-you problem. The Union funds the rag; so the rag's naughtiness depends on the Union 's forbearance.

3. He has a degree to study for. More and better articles = good. But more and better articles = spend much time chasing, or do them yourself = Gentleman's Degree for Editor.

4. By tradition he is loathed by all the people he would ideally conscript in order to improve his mag – whether the burly Scandies, JLC or whoever.

Before we rant and rave, then, we must be satisfied that none of these obstacles is a showstopper. How big a problem is the skills shortage? Well, not very. The problem is more that – for this reason or that – the Kashuo Ishiguros apply themselves elsewhere: see Obstacle 4.

What about the second problem, of independence from the Union ? Well, a lot depends on personalities. How brave is the editor? Will he take risks? Has he the charm to negotiate a freer rein? Is he prepared to research his stories, balance them, and piss people off without fear that he's got facts wrong? What is the President of the Union like? Does she regard KRED as her personal fiefdom/mouthpiece? My feeling is that the Union could be challenged much harder than at present before the sky fell on our heads.

Obstacle 3 is, perhaps, the big mama. Obstacle 3 prevents people like me being editor of KRED. Not even the tragically discontinued, small-scale KUNT can claim immunity from Obstacle 3. There are only ever likely to be a few people with badass enough personalities to overcome Obstacle 2 – and the chances of any of these being prepared to chuck away their degree is small

The last Obstacle isn't terminal. One or two funny, University-slamming* or Union-criticising articles would get the detractors on board. (Eg: Why is the campus shop so badly managed? – replace it with a Tesco Metro!, How do you justify all that money on a hockey pitch/Olympic pool when it's “too expensive” to extend the Library's hours?, What the f*** are those signs about with 2m of poles sticking out above them like unfinished Greek houses?, Exposed: The Messianic Do-gooders Behind the Smoking Ban, KRED Investigates: Were the Union Elections Really Rigged? Etc, etc, etc, I thought of those in 20 seconds.)

In summary, the editor of KRED has to cut his coat according to his cloth. He would have to be a complete G to fashion something really decent out of the paper – and then probably at the price of his degree. A tentatively offered prescription: If we are to have a student paper worthy of a university this size, the editor must become a paid sabbatical position, as is the case at other universities. The job would be constitutionally protected against meddling from the tinpot autocrats chez Tour Mandela . Thus the editor would have all the time he needed, as well as the freedom to be critical. I leave it to the current staff of KRED to lobby the university and Union for this!

PS. For what it's worth I think the latest edition of KRED is a teeny-weeny bit better than the last few.

PPS. JL – on the “libel”, speak to my lawyers: 01227 824200.