Impact Magazine is the official student magazine of the University of Nottingham, it has been published in various forms and various names since 1939. Run on a voluntary basis using funds from the Students' Union, the magazine is available free to students. Impact also publishes a website, which has been online since 8 January 2006, and an app, which was launched in 2016.
Awards
Impact journalist Nicola Byrom was designated Mind's Student Journalist of the Year 2009 for her "outstanding contribution to mental health awareness". Impact Magazine has also won several awards at the annual GuardianStudent Media Awards. It won "Student Magazine of the Year" in 2001 and was runner-up in this category in 2005 and 2007. It was also runner-up in the category for "Student Publication Design of the Year" for the 2006 awards. In 2014, Impact won The Guardian's Best Website award. In 2017, the magazine won Best Magazine Design at the nationalStudent Publication Awards. Writers for the magazine have also won individual awards, including Amy Franks for "Student columnist of the year" and Nosheen Asghar for "Student diversity writer of the year" in 2002, and Paul Robins for "Sports Writer of the Year" in 2004. The Guardian panel in 2001 described Impact as having "great design and great articles that brilliantly reflected its student readership but could have been a real stand-alone magazine".
History
The Gong, launched in 1895 was the University of Nottingham's first foray into the world of student journalism. A polished literary pamphlet, it published the students’ own stories, poems and literary reviews. The Granddad of the students’ creative voice continued for decades alongside its news-based rival, The Gongster, which was launched in 1939 and after several image changes eventually became Impact. The paper suffered many teething problems, coming under fire for being "too serious and stodgy". The publication also faced difficulties when war broke out, resulting in a print reduction as the country encountered a serious paper shortage. In 1941 Gongster was suspended throughout the summer months due to a lack of funding, given the restrictions imposed on all societies by the SU as the full effects of rationing took their toll. It was only by 1947 that the paper finally found its feet, selling 100% of copies. As the paper hit the 1980s it was decided that Gongster was long due a shake-up and soon became Bias. The new name, coupled with an edgier, aesthetically pleasing design, lasted only five years when someone concluded the paper would be better served as Impact. Still a newspaper and still partially funding itself, at ten pence a copy, Impact promised to be more adventurous. Impact subsequently changed into a magazine, which remains in the same format with an ever increasing number of pages. Impact released its 200th issue during its 70th birthday year on 30 November 2009.
