The Orion is an independent, Pacemaker Award winning student-run news source at California State University, Chico. Every Wednesday, we provide broad, in-depth coverage of university news, sports, features and entertainment in our weekly paper and daily content on our website.

The Orion’s goal is to build journalistic excellence at Chico State by striving to inspire our readers to think critically, with complete, accurate and unbiased journalism.

Since its inception in 1975, The Orion has provided a training ground for students interested in journalism, photography, advertising, marketing, production, graphic design and videography.

The Orion distributes 5,000 free newspapers to buildings on campus and to more than 90 off-campus locations weekly.

Published 32 Wednesdays during the school year, The Orion’s print edition has an approximate readership of 17,000, including nearly 80 percent of the campus community.

The Orion also had 7 million page views in 2014 with record breaking numbers in October. October had 1.1 million views and 42,000 unique visitors. Our news source also has a smart phone application that can be downloaded through this link, http://theorion.com/app/. 

The Orion’s dedication has been recognized at national, state and regional levels. With more than 70 major awards in the past 20 years, The Orion continues setting the standard in all areas of collegiate journalism.

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Awards

The Orion, a laboratory newspaper of CSU, Chico’s nationally accredited journalism department, has won dozens of national, regional and state awards. It was inducted into the Associated Collegiate Press Hall of Fame in 2005 for its record of achievement.​

NATIONAL AWARDS

Advertising Excellence

Best Display Ad/BW:

First Place: 2009

Best Newspaper Promotion Ad/BW:

Second Place: 2008
Third Place: 2009

Best Display Ad Campaign:

Third Place: 2008

General Excellence

Pacemaker Award for General Excellence:

1989, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014

Online Pacemaker Award:

2007, 2009

ACP National Newspaper of the Year:

First Place: 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Second Place: 2006

SPJ Mark of Excellence:

First Place: 2000, 2004

NNA Better Newspapers Contest:

First Place: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006

Associated Collegiate Press Hall of Fame:

Inducted 2005

REGIONAL AWARDS

Society of Professional Journalists:

Best All-Around University Newspaper:
First Place: 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008, 2009
Second Place: 1992, 1995
Third Place: 1991

STATE AWARDS

California Newspaper Publishers Association:

General Excellence:

First Place: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009

California College Media Association:

General Excellence:
First Place: 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009
Second Place: 2006, 2010
Best Overall Design:
First Place: 2006, 2009
Second Place: 2007, 2010