The Cougar is a weekly newspaper run entirely by students at the University of Houston.

In publication since April 6, 1928, The Cougar was originally named The Cougar but was renamed The Daily Cougar and again renamed The Cougar in the fall of 2014 when the print edition turned weekly. The Cougar operates as a student-managed, school-funded forum for the university community.

The Cougar publishes on Wednesday during the school year, but stories are added daily to its website presence.

History

thumb|left|A Daily Cougar distribution stand on the University of Houston campus

The newspaper was founded in 1928 by University of Houston students as The Cougar. By the 1950s, circulation had increased to 6,800. In 1965, the paper began a press run of four days a week with a release schedule of Tuesday through Friday. On March 27, 1978, the newspaper added Mondays to its release schedule, and was renamed to The Daily Cougar.

As of 2003, The Cougar was Houston's second largest English-language daily newspaper, with a circulation of nearly 12,000 and a readership approaching 40,000.

Awards

  • 2016:
  • Associated Collegiate Press Newspaper Pacemaker Award Winner
  • 2016:
  • Houston Press Club 2016 Lone Star Awards - Best Student Newspaper winner
  • 2004:
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - certificate of merit, Single Page Color Photo Layout
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - certificate of merit, Tabloid Feature Page Design for Newspapers
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - first place, General Feature in Newspapers

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  • 2003:
  • College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers, Inc. - first place, Rate Card

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  • 2002:
  • 2001:
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - first place, Newspaper Tabloid Overall Design

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  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - third place, Newspaper Feature Photo
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - first place, Newspaper Advertising Page
  • College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers, Inc. - first place, Best Newspaper Promotion Campaign
  • College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers, Inc. - third place, Best Newspaper Promotion Ad
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - certificate of merit, Newspaper Feature Photo
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - certificate of merit, Newspaper Single Advertising -->
  • 1999:

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  • College Media Advisers, Inc. - first place, Best Advertising Campaign
  • College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers, Inc. - second place, Best Advertising Campaign
  • Best of Collegiate Design 8 - fifth place, Nameplate Design
  • College Media Advisers, Inc. - second place, Strip Cartooning

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  • Associated Collegiate Press Newspaper of the Year - third place
  • 1996:
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association - Gold medalist, spring 1996
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association - Gold medalist, fall 1995
  • 1994:
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association - medalist, fall 1994
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association - medalist, spring 1994
  • 1993:
  • Society of Professional Journalists Region 8 Mark of Excellence Awards, first place, Feature Writing
  • Society of Professional Journalists Region 8 Mark of Excellence Awards, third place, In-Depth Reporting

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  • Society of Professional Journalists Region 8 Mark of Excellence Awards, second place, Editorial Cartooning -->
  • 1992:
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association - first place, fall 1992
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association medalist, spring 1992
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - first place, Page One Design
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - second place, Editorial Writing

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  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - first place, Large Color Advertisement
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - second place, Advertising Page Made Up of Several Ads
  • Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award - third place, News Publication Advertising: Series of Ads

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  • 1991:
  • Associated Collegiate Press - first class honor rating, 1991-1992

Notable alumni

  • Dan Cook
  • Saul Friedman
  • Jack Valenti
  • Welcome W. Wilson, Sr.
  • Donald Barthelme
  • Adrees Latif - 2008 Pulitzer Prize

References

  • The Daily Cougar
  • University of Houston