Struggling Daily Cal moves to new home

UC Berkeley’s student newspaper, The Daily Cal, and the entire  journalism program is getting a leg up after months of stressing over an uncertain future.

UC Berkeley purchased a building on Hearst near the campus’ north gate for $2.5 million this week, and is allowing the newspaper and journalism department to use this newly acquired property at almost no cost.

The 141-year-old newspaper has been experiencing financial trouble and has been looking for ways to slash its deficit.

By moving out of its old hub in Room 600 of Eshelman Hall in Lower Sproul Plaza to the new building across campus, it will save $50,000 a year in rent.

The Daily Cal will only pay $1 yearly in rent to UC Berkeley in its new office.

The building comes as a gift from former UC Berkeley journalism student Liz Simons, who donated the $2.5 million for the purchase.

She is also on the board of directors for the journalism school.

Cal’s journalism school chipped in $250,000 in order to cut a deal with the university to allow its Investigative Reporting Program to use the building as well.

To cope with the cuts prior to the move, the Daily Cal recently converted to less expensive paper to save $10,000 a year. It also stopped being a true daily by cutting some publication dates.

The new newsroom will be half the size as it was in Eshelman Hall, with the university demolishing the building to renovate Lower Sproul Plaza.