The Daily Toreador, also known as The DT, is the student newspaper of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. The newspaper was first published in 1925 as The Toreador and later changed its name to The University Daily before arriving at the current name in 2005. All content for The DT is produced by a staff around 40 members including editors, reporters and photographers. The DT has received numerous regional and national awards, including a Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold crown award, two Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver crown awards, and two Associated Collegiate PressPacemaker Award finalists. As well, the paper counts five Pulitzer Prizes and four winners amongst its former staff members.
On October 3, 1925, two days after classes began at Texas Technological College, the first issue of The Toreador was published.[4] The chosen name of the publication was explained in the first issue relevant to the Spanish Renaissance architecture of the campus buildings and unofficial moniker of the football team:
It is well known, of course, that in the favorite sport of Spain and Old Mexico, the 'toreador' is an assistant to the 'matador,' or bull fighter—an aggravation you might say. So when the name Matador was suggested in keeping with the Spanish architecture and design of the college buildings, nothing seemed more appropriate as a name for the student publication than The Toreador. And we might add that it is our intention to have the name retain its full meaning, for we expect it to be one of the strongest supporters of the Tech Matadors. Therefore when The Toreador announces that the Matadors are ready to 'kill,' you may depend upon it.
In 1929, The Toreador hosted a contest to create a new school song, with a prize 25 dollar prize offered to the winner. The final result was The Matador Song written by the R.C. Marshall, the editor of the 1931 La Ventana.[6][7]
In 1962, the name of newspaper changed to The Daily Toreador reflecting the increased frequency in publication.[9]
1966-2005: The University Daily
To represent a change in size format from tabloid to broadsheet, the newspaper debuted its new name The University Daily, on September 20, 1966, three years prior to the name change of Texas Technological College to Texas Tech University.[10][11]
2005-present: The Daily Toreador
To coincide with its 80th anniversary in 2005, the name was reverted to The Daily Toreador.[11] Following the Rawls College of Business move to a new building in 2012, the College of Media & Communication and Student Media relocated to the old Business Administration building.[12][13]
Circulation
The newspaper prints 10,000 issues on Thursdays during the fall and spring semesters and Tuesdays during summer sessions, and has around 2,000 to 5,000 unique visitors per day to its website, continually making it one of the top-25 read college newspapers in the nation.[14]
Although two advisers watch over the operations of the newspaper, the day-to-day decisions for the newspaper rest on the student staff. The advisers choose not to restrict the content that is placed in the paper, but instead make suggestions and give advice to the editorial board.
News Editor at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, and namesake of the Thomas Jay Harris Institute for Hispanic and International Communication, 1983 Outstanding Alumni Recipient.
