While remaining Berkeley's paper of record, the Daily Cal strives to train students in all aspects of newspaper production. Editorial positions, such as writing, photography, design, copy editing and illustrating, are filled exclusively by students. The vast majority of positions in online, advertising, and other business operations are also filled by students. The Daily Cal prides itself on empowering students with various levels of experience by helping them develop professional skills needed for careers in journalism and other industries.
In 1871, University of California students published the first edition of The University Echo. That periodical is recognized today as the predecessor of what became The Daily Californian.
The Daily Californian was a publication of the Associated Students of the University of California from 1909 until 1971, when the Daily Cal editorial board published a front-page editorial urging protestors to "take back the park" just before the second anniversary of the 1969 People's Park riot. Afterwards, when a demonstration turned violent, the university attempted to fire the editors.
As a compromise, the editors agreed to move off campus and operate the newspaper independently as a non-profit corporation using the name The Daily Californian pursuant to a licensing agreement with the UC Board of Regents. The university agreed not to publish or sponsor any other newspaper and contributed money to help get the company started.
Suffering financial troubles, the newspaper moved in and out of offices throughout the city. In the early 1990s the newspaper was forced to cut publication from five days a week to three, then to two. In 1994, the newspaper moved back on campus with the help of Chancellor Chang-Lin Tien. Less than a year later, it resumed daily publication.
Recently, the paper has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, the California College Media Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. In 2004, the Daily Cal was the national winner of the Mark of Excellence Award for general news reporting, a competition that draws more than 3,000 entries annually. In 2005, the paper won second best all-around daily on the West Coast for California, Arizona and Nevada from the Society of Professional Journalists. This past year, the Daily Cal was one of the most honored newspapers by the California College Media Association, winning 12 awards.
The Daily Californian's parent corporation, the Independent Berkeley Student Publishing Co. Inc., is led by a board of directors including the editor in chief, the staff representative, alumni, working professionals and UC Berkeley faculty. The board makes long-range planning decisions and approves the annual budget. Day-to-day management of the newspaper is left to the editor in chief, the general manager and the managing editor. The Daily Cal is one of only two college newspapers nationally to have the editor in chief serve as president of the corporation, ensuring that a student always holds the highest position of management and decision-making. Similarly, students run most of the corporation’s operations, and every active student employee can vote in annual elections to decide the editor in chief and staff representative. Either the editor in chief or the Senior Editorial Board appoints all other editorial positions.
