About Us
The Berkeley Beacon is Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper. The Beacon aims to deliver original and accurate reporting to the Emerson community, while providing students with opportunities to gain professional experience.
The Beacon publishes content online daily and in print on Thursdays throughout the academic year with the exception of breaks. The Beacon also has a semesterly magazine. Print issues can be found in 172 Tremont, Little Building, Colonial Building, Walker Building, the Dining Hall, 2B, and Piano Row. More than 50 students contribute to the Beacon through writing, photography, and graphics every semester
The Beacon has weekly production nights on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in the newsroom —mlocated on the third floor of 172 Tremont — where they put together weekly print issues. The Beacon also sends out a weekly newsletter, which you can sign up for here.
The Beacon has multiple departments, including news, sports, living arts, opinion, magazine, photo, graphics, social, business, and website. Students interested in contributing to The Beacon are encouraged to attend our weekly Monday night general meetings at 7 p.m. During those meetings, contributors can pick up assignments or pitch to editors following our critique session for print stories. Experience is not required. To learn more about how to contribute, click here.
To receive a non-tuition credit, as stipulated in The Beacon’s constitution, a correspondent must write five stories, take five photos, or any combination of the two. Beacon staff members will automatically receive credit, unless otherwise decided by the editor-in-chief and managing editors.
Our History
Founded in 1947, the paper was named after the college’s former location in Back Bay, at the confluence of Berkeley Street and Beacon Street.
The paper is a chronicle of life at Emerson — covering student government politics, on- and off-campus events, administrative initiatives and sports.
In recent years, our staff has reported on a wide range of topics, covering everything from the expansion and renovation of Emerson’s campus to protests in Boston and at Emerson.
In 2011, The Beacon became the first college newspaper website with a responsive design, and in 2018 transitioned from its role as a weekly print paper to a daily, digital-first model. The Beacon has won multiple Associated Collegiate Press awards for our redesigned daily website.
In 2024, The Beacon was recognized by Emerson’s Journalism Department for its coverage of the Cutler Majestic arrests. The Beacon’s reporting on the pro-Palestinian encampment on campus in the spring 2024 semester generated more than 10,000 page views and was the most cited story on the event on Google.
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private college with its main campus in Boston, and other campuses in Los Angeles, California; Well, Limburg; and the Netherlands.
Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a “school of oratory,” the college offers more than three dozen degrees and professional training programs specializing in the fields of arts and communication with a foundation in liberal arts studies. Emerson is one of the founding members of the ProArts Consortium, an association of six neighboring institutions in Boston dedicated to arts education at the collegiate level.
Originally based in Boston’s Pemberton Square, the college is now located in the Theater District along the south side of the Boston Common. Emerson owns and operates the historic Colonial, Paramount, and Cutler Majestic theaters, as well as several smaller performance venues.
Emerson has more than 4,149 undergraduate students and employs more than 229 full-time faculty and 542 full-time staff members.
Emerson is tied at #13 among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Universities in the North East.
Policies
To view our bylaws, see our Constitution and Ethics and Standards.
Plagiarism
The Beacon does not tolerate plagiarism of any kind. Discovery of plagiarism will result in removal from any position a reporter may hold, and a ban on the reporter from future participation in The Beacon.
The Comments Section
The Berkeley Beacon intends for the comment section to foster healthy, thought-provoking discussion. We welcome strong opinions and criticism that are respectful and constructive. All users are expected to adhere to our comment section policy.
Read more on our policy here.
Incident Journal Policy
Incident journals published on The Beacon’s website are from reports made available by the Emerson College Police Department, under state and federal public records laws. The Beacon edits the reports for grammar and AP style, not content. We do not print names or identifying information in incident journals.
Censorship & Prior Review Policy
The Beacon maintains editorial independence and does not allow censorship or prior review. Sources are not permitted to review stories, videos, audio, graphics, or photos before publication. Interview questions will not be shared with sources unless specifically approved by the editor-in-chief. Sources may request to review their quotes, but the editorial board has the final say on whether any changes will be made. If consent is given for recording, note-taking, video, or photography, the material is considered on the record. Sources may request to have conversations off the record or on background before the conversation begins, but not afterward.
Anonymity
The Beacon will not allow anonymous authors with the exception of some op-eds in a case-by-case situation. Generally, however, anonymity will rarely be granted.
Anonymous sources are typically not allowed unless for specific reasons. If a reporter runs into issues getting sources’ names on the record, they should talk to their editor, but they must always try to get names on the record.
The Beacon’s policy on anonymity is for transparency on the news outlet’s behalf. However, we understand that it may be necessary in specific situations. Reporters are expected to talk to sources about our policies and consult with their editors if there are concerns.
Corrections Policy
The Beacon welcomes corrections to any article. If you spot a misspelling, an inaccurate fact, a misquote, or a phrasing that you believe doesn’t accurately represent you, your community, or the story we’re covering, please email us at [email protected].