The JP Stevens newspaper, The Hawkeye, has transitioned into a fully digital publication. Instead of print releases, each issue will be released quarterly on the hawkeyejps.com website. While the Editorial Staff will miss the nostalgia of the print form, the benefits of an online publication hold promise and new opportunities.

This transition was directed by the JP Stevens administration, who hoped that an online publication would reach a wider audience. The print form of The Hawkeye reached roughly 1,200 students and their families each quarter, but an online publication is sent to all JP students and their families through email. This is expected to increase readership rates and reader engagement. Additionally, The Hawkeye is accessible in its digital format to readers in the local community, including parents of middle or elementary school students, local leaders, and even those outside the Edison community.

In 2019, our cross-town “rivals” at Edison High School transitioned their Eagle Eye into a completely digital format. Three years later, their help was instrumental in aiding JP’s own transition from print to online.

“It’s definitely easy to share our articles,” senior Pragya Singh, Edison High Editor-in-Chief, said. “We also discovered that we are not confined by edition releases to publish new articles, and we can publish timely articles in between editions. This allows for more timely news and increased relevance as a newspaper in our school community.”

Nevertheless, the irreplaceable value of ink-stained fingers and the smell of newspaper print on distribution day remains close to our hearts. The print newspaper has allowed previous generations of The Hawkeye writers and editors to establish a legacy, dating back to the 1980s. Traditions such as the “You Know You Go To JP When . . .” section and the featured photos at the top corner of the front page were passed down.

These widely-loved features will persist in the digital format. In fact, a wider breadth of articles can be published to encompass the many interests of JP Stevens. Without printing constraints, a new Entertainment section has been created and modifications to the Features section have been instituted. The interactive nature of the digital format, allowing comments and shares, will also ensure that JP Stevens’ The Hawkeye remains a forum for discussion and a hub for student news, thought, and culture. There is no better way to unite a community than through well-written stories and respectful discussions.

The transition to a digital format is occurring in newspapers across the country. According to AP News, “40 of the largest 100 newspapers in the country publish only-digital versions at least once a week,” abandoning the print format especially after the pandemic placed strains on the publishing industry. A digital format allows these papers to withstand the unrelenting stream of global news and remain above water in challenging times.

These shifts can require much change, but as the field of journalism continues to evolve, The Hawkeye staff is committed to evolving with it.