The Kentucky Kernel
The Kentucky Kernel is the student newspaper of the University of Kentucky. The "Kernel" is distributed free on and around the University of Kentucky campus. It claims a circulation of 8,000 and readership of more than 30,000. Its sole source of revenue is advertising. It is issued during the weekdays during the spring and fall semesters. History. The "Kentucky Kernel" was preceded by several student newspapers, with the earliest dating to 1892. From 1908 to 1915, the University of Kentucky's student newspaper was called The Idea, but it became the "Kentucky Kernel" following a naming contest  in 1915. The first issue produced under the "Kernel" name was published September 16, 1915. The paper had become an eight-page weekly by 1923, and it became a Monday-Friday daily newspaper in 1966. In 1972, the "Kernel" formally established its editorial and financial independence from the University of Kentucky administration. Operations and alumni. The "Kernel" operates out of the Grehan Journalism Building, which is located in central campus and also is the home of the School of Journalism and Telecommunications and the Department of Communication. The Grehan Building was completed in 1951 and named to honor Enoch Grehan , the founder of the school's Department of Journalism and one of its first faculty members. Several prominent journalists worked at the "Kernel" while they were students, including current Associated Press Chief White House Correspondent Terence Hunt, former "National Geographic" photographer Sam Abell, current "Chicago Tribune" Washington correspondent William Neikirk and current "New York Times" South Africa correspondent Michael Wines. The writer Bobbie Ann Mason also worked at the "Kernel". The famous Disney writer and illustrator Don Rosa worked for the "Kernel" from 1969 to 1973. "The Pertwillaby Papers" were first printed in the "Kernel", which inspired many of Rosa 's later creations, including the Scrooge McDuck tales "The Son of the Sun", "Cash Flow", and "The Last Lord of Eldorado". Controversies. On October 5, 2007, the newspaper published an editorial cartoon that was considered racially insensitive to some students. The cartoon depicted an African American being auctioned off to fraternities and sororities in an attempt by the cartoonist to depict racial divide in the fraternity system. The paper officially apologized the next day and the incident spawned a panel discussion on diversity. Awards. In 2006, 2008, 2015 and 2019 the "Kernel" won the National Pacemaker Award from the Associated  Collegiate Press after having been nominated for several years.