What We Do

Maryland Media Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting independent student media at the University of Maryland, College Park. We publish The Diamondback, Mitzpeh, and The Terrapin. Established in 1971, Maryland Media Inc. provides a rewarding and educational experience for student staff to produce accurate, comprehensive and ethical news coverage of the campus and College Park community while striving to reflect the diversity of its community. Maryland Media Inc. is financially independent of the university, allowing its student-run publications to report without fear of censorship or interference.

Our Story

Amid the political and social turmoil of the early 1970s, the University of Maryland saw the need to separate itself from the operations of its student publications. The political and social turmoil of the era led the student editors to become ever more independent and uninhibited in their criticism of the university administration as well as of the state and federal government.  In 1972, Maryland Media Inc. was established as an independent nonprofit charged with supporting the university’s official student publications.  

Fully self-funded through revenues generated by business activities and donations, MMI receives no financial assistance from the University of Maryland, the Student Government Association or the state of Maryland. MMI’s current roster of publications includes The Diamondback, the university’s official student newspaper (dbknews.com); The Mitzpeh, a Jewish special-interest newspaper (umdmitzpeh.com); and the Terrapin yearbook.  

Each school year, The Diamondback provides 150 students with hands-on learning in reporting, editing, photography, design, coding and advertising. On the beat and in The Diamondback’s newsroom, these students discover more about the media industry than they ever could in the classroom alone. Former Diamondback staff members have gone on to work for the finest news publications in the world, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and Forbes Magazine, to name but a few. Notable alumni include David Simon (creator of HBO’s “The Wire”), Jeff Kinney (author of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”), Aaron McGruder (creator of “The Boondocks” comic strip), Margaret Talev, (Axios Politics and White House Editor, CNN Political Analyst), Emilio Garcia-Ruiz (San Francisco Chronicle editor in chief), Ivan Penn (New York Times Energy Correspondent), John McNamara (Annapolis Capital Gazette Sports Reporter), Gerald Fischman (Annapolis Capital Gazette Editorial Writer).

The Society of Professional Journalists has twice named The Diamondback the best college newspaper in America. Since 2012, The Diamondback has won more than 40 SPJ regional and national awards, with several other finalists.

The challenges associated with providing a world-class journalism education have grown over the years, but The Diamondback will continue to meet them head-on. With continued reinvestment in its digital product and donors’ philanthropic efforts, MMI can ensure its students have all the tools possible to learn and serve the University of Maryland community.

Misson

Maryland Media’s mission is focused on the following pillars:

  • Provide a rewarding and educational experience for the student staff members
  • To develop technically, ethically and successful student journalists.
  • To be the independent, accurate, comprehensive, timely, understandable and interesting sources of news, sports and entertainment for the campus and city of College Park
  • Provoke discussion and advance reader’s knowledge
  • To publish quickly and accurately the newsworthy events on campus and around College Park
  • To develop news and informative products that are relevant and important to our audience
  • To reflect the diversity of the backgrounds, goals and interests of our community
  • To adhere to the highest ethical standards in the practice of our journalism
  • Provide the most professional environment possible

Awards

The Diamondback, Maryland Media’s flagship publication and an independent, student-run publication, routinely wins numerous awards. These can be found on the The Diamondback’s website.

Board of Directors / Staff

  • Hannah Ziegler, Diamondback editor-in-chief
  • Olivia Abajian, Terrapin editor-in-chief
  • Nira Dayanim, Mitzpeh editor-in-chief
  • Teddy Amenabar, At-large board member
  • Arnie Applebaum, At-large board member
  • Corey Dade, At-large board member
  • Amber Ferguson, At-large board member
  • Hope Kahn, At-large board member
  • Sean Mussenden, At-large board member
  • Vandana Sinha, At-large board member
  • John Taylor, At-large board member
  • Craig Mummey, General Manager