Inside WSN: How we make an online publication

WSN’s multimedia editor takes you behind the scenes and into the newsroom in this photo essay, featuring all the people that help make sure that the newspaper goes out to thousands of readers each morning.

Words imprinted on the office front door that reads “N.Y.U. W.S.N. The Marc Bell Offices of the Washington Square News”

The fall 2022 semester was challenging but fruitful for the editorial staff of the Washington Square News. WSN published more than 700 articles across eight sections and its magazine, covering everything relevant to the NYU reader. This is a behind-the-scenes look into how the newspaper is produced each day.

An office space with no windows and white walls. People sit at desks and walk around.

The WSN office on Sept. 4, the first Sunday production day.

Mayee Yeh, Shay Jones, Edward Franco, Carmo Moniz, Arnav Binaykia, Abby Wilson, Camila Ceballos and Olivia Liu working and discussing with each other in the W.S.N. office.

Desk editors edit articles, collaborating, deliberating and giving feedback to one another.

Kevin Wu photographs Natalie Thomas on the sidewalk of E. 12 St.

As is tradition each semester, every editor gets their photograph taken for the WSN staff page.

Staff photographer, contributing photographer and desk editors gather for the multimedia desk’s pitch meeting.

Each section holds a pitch meeting every Sunday afternoon. During pitch meetings, writers and photographers share story updates with editors, and are assigned to report and write stories for the following week.

Susan Behrends Valenzuela, wearing a black shirt and a black mask, talks to N.Y.U. students at the Club Festival.

Susan Behrends Valenzuela introduces WSN to prospective staff at NYU’s biannual Club Fest.

Camila Ceballos and Manasa Gudavalli hold a meeting with photographers and editors in the office corridor.

Camila Ceballos and Manasa Gudavalli hold a briefing for photographers selected to cover New York Fashion Week for WSN.

Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer and Stephanie Wong sit next to each other working on regular production.

Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer and Stephanie Wong are editors at WSN’s arts section, which publishes reviews, essays and previews on the arts at NYU and beyond.

Arnav Binaykia, Rachel Cohen, Abby Wilson and Carmo Moniz sit in front of a computer deliberating on a news article.

WSN’s management team discusses articles with the news team. All WSN articles go through a thorough editing process before publication.

Arnav Binaykia, Eileen Liu and Camila Ceballos work on a laptop.

Editors experiment with designs for future posts on WSN’s social media accounts.

Drew Brown works on his laptop.

WSN’s web team is an integral part of the newspaper’s daily operations. It works to design WSN’s interfaces and maintain the website.

Arnav Binaykia, Abby Wilson, Ariana Wahab, Mayee Yeh, Ania Keenan and Rachel Fadem look at an image of a dead man on screen.

WSN’s management team deliberates on whether to use a photograph in a story. The image was eventually deemed inconsistent with editorial standards for that particular piece and replaced.

Arnav Binaykia holds a plastic knife.

Often spending more than eight hours in the office each day, the staff have acclimatized to the room’s quirks. The office air conditioning system, for example, must be coerced into cooperation.

Arnav Binaykia tries to fly while standing on a desk.

Editors find creative ways to channel newsroom stress.

Arnav Binaykia raises a stapler. Natalie Thomas raises her hand. Mayee Yeh laughs.

WSN’s editors have an affinity for standing atop their desks after hours.

Eileen Liu cries while sitting on the floor

Sometimes the stress can be unbearable.

Manasa Gudavalli points her index finger downward as Kevin Wu gasps in surprise.

Sometimes news can be shocking.

Kevin Wu, Camila Ceballos and Rachel Cohen laugh.

There are tears and there is laughter, but always more laughter than tears.

The W.S.N. office on the final day of production in the fall 2022 semester.

The office on Dec. 14, the last day of editorial production for the fall 2022 semester.

An empty W.S.N. office with lights on.
An empty W.S.N. office with lights off.

Contact Samson Tu at [email protected].