Dear readers,

The headlines plastering newspapers in recent days bode poorly for our business. The combination of a stinging recession and a rapidly changing industry have hit news providers with a bruising one-two punch.

Still, The Daily Iowan continues to provide in-depth, independent coverage of the University of Iowa and Iowa City community.

And this year, our 141st, our staff of more than 100 student-journalists is eager to embrace a number of opportunities to provide you, our reader, with the kind of material that has won us national recognition as one of the top college newspapers.

We remember our role as the public’s personal check on government and look forward to learning — in our own media-organization laboratory — just how to keep fighting for the future of journalism.

Here’s what you can look forward to this year in the DI:

Spotlight Iowa City

Our coverage always begins at the heart of the community where the most unique and telling stories originate: the people.

We believe each student, faculty member, and person has a story and a voice worthy of newsprint. We’ve done our best to find the most compelling. So every day this year in the DI on page 7A, you can find a new feature: “Spotlight Iowa City.”

We will profile ordinary people with extraordinary talents, interests, and accomplishments, and showcase one a week on Thursday night’s Daily Iowan TV.

More arts

Our community is brimming with culture. We’ve added an extra Arts & Culture page to help keep track of musicians, authors, and local culinary wonders.

Intramurals

We love the Hawkeyes, but we’ve realized there is often just as much passion and perspiration pouring from the flag-football fields.

Beginning Tuesday, we will provide full coverage of Recreation Services’ intramural sports, including game recaps, feature stories, and scouting reports on page 2 of Sports every day.

Prep sports

The DI will also team up with local high schools to provide a full page of high-school sports content in every Monday paper.

High-school reporters will serve as stringers for the DI, providing football game features, recaps, stats, and highlights from other sports, contributing briefs throughout the week.

With the information and photographs coached and edited by DI staffers, we hope to welcome new readers as we foster another place in the community for teaching future journalists.

So read us. Watch us. Log on to dailyiowan.com. And send us your stories. We promise to deliver.

Check us out:

• On TV: campus channel 4, cable channel 17

• On the web: dailyiowan.com

• On Twitter: DrDaily, DailyIowanTV, TheDailyIowan, kelseybeltramea, dailyiowanarts

• On Facebook: search Dr. Daily

• Contact us for breaking news: 335-6063

• Send info about stories: [email protected]

• Send Letters to the Editor: [email protected]