Outlet profile

Elon University

U.S. center-left, campus-focused

Owned byElon University (private nonprofit), student-operated under the university's Student Media Board and School of Communications

FundingStudent activity fees, advertising revenue, and institutional support from Elon University

On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

The Pendulum, ENN's print newspaper, published its first issue in October 1974 at what was then Elon College. The college itself was founded in 1889 by the Christian Church, which later merged into the United Church of Christ — a historically progressive Protestant denomination — though the university's formal religious affiliation has faded and it now operates as a largely nonsectarian private institution. Elon College became Elon University in 2001 as it expanded into a full university offering graduate and professional programs. Over time, the student newsroom grew from a single print paper into a multi-platform organization with roughly 75–100 student staff producing broadcast, digital, and print content. ENN has earned consistent recognition: The Pendulum won a national Pacemaker Award from the Associated Collegiate Press in 2009, and in 2024 it received the Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper from the Society of Professional Journalists. ENN is funded through a combination of student activity fees and advertising, and is overseen by the university's Student Media Board. Because it is primarily a campus and community outlet, its national political coverage — including coverage touching on the Trump administration — is limited and typically framed around direct effects on students, the university, or the local area rather than national political commentary.

Sources

Profile compiled 2026-08-13; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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