IU alumnus, paper founder offers advice

Vince Robinson, an IU journalism alumnus and founder of an award-winning black newspaper, spoke to various journalism classes Thursday about media diversity and the multiple opportunities students have in journalism after graduation.\nIn December 2001, Robinson started Ink newspaper in Fort Wayne with his sister Terri Miller, an IU alumna with a background in sales. Robinson had studied broadcast journalism at IU. \nRobinson has worked as a reporter and anchor in Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and Cleveland. He worked as a news director at WANE-TV in Fort Wayne and as managing editor at WRTV-TV in Indianapolis. He also held the position of director of public information in Fort Wayne for Mayor Graham Richard.\nAccording to the Ink Web site, continuing the proud tradition of the black press, Ink is Northeast Indiana's premier black newspaper delivering information, news and knowledge for and about local African Americans.\nInk has received multiple awards, including the Fort Wayne/Allen County NAACP Media Award for 2003, the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce Diversity Business of 2003 and the Star Literacy Award/Small Business for 2003. In addition, Robinson was honored by the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce as the Diversity Business Person of the year in 2003.\n"The reason we started this newspaper was to bring up the bar across the board," Robinson said. "Our competitors are now better across the board."\nThe paper is published weekly by a small staff. Freelance reporters and photographers also contribute to the newspaper.\n"I was actually very impressed after he spoke about the staff consisting of mainly him and his sister," said senior Kelsey Flora. "I was very impressed with the level of sophistication of the paper."\nRobinson said the purpose of Ink is to put blacks in the news and highlight the happenings in their community.\n"I really had not seen news targeted to African Americans in the news," Robinson said. "Our mission is to show African Americans in a more comprehensive light in our community."\nInk consists of articles and photos of various events occurring throughout the Fort Wayne black community.\n"The things covered in our paper are a reflection of what our target audience is doing," Robinson said. "We take a different look at something like a fund raiser fashion show by printing large, colorful photos and taking a different angle."\nAlthough the newspaper's target audience is blacks, there are many other people reading it.\n"We do have a very diverse readership, and the paper is well-read within the entire community."\nSenior Amanda Hardesty heard Robinson speak in her journalism ethics class Thursday morning.\n"I liked the newspaper in the sense that it does not restrict who can read it," Hardesty said. "I thought it catered to a lot of different people with different interests."\nRobinson said he is satisfied with the community's reaction to Ink.\n"The positive response so quickly to the paper was a surprise -- a pleasant surprise," Robinson said.\nAfter experiencing all venues of journalism, Robinson offered some last-minute advice to students after graduation.\n"Keep an open mind about doing your own thing," Robinson said. "Keep your eyes open. Really be curious. Learn new things."\n-- Contact staff writer Dana Sands at dsands@indiana.edu.