Texas Travesty
Coordinates: 30°16′48.1″N 97°44′24″W / 30.280028°N 97.74000°W
The Texas Travesty describes itself as the United States' "largest student-produced satirical newspaper".[1] All production and creative work takes place at The University of Texas at Austin.
The Travesty began in 1997 as an independent, online-only publication by the Butler brothers: Kevin Butler (a former editorial columnist for The Daily Texan) and Brad Butler. Within a year, the publication successfully appealed for inclusion within Texas Student Media (TSM, officially named Texas Student Publications), an auxiliary enterprise of the University, which publishes The Daily Texan and produces KVRX and TSTV.
The staff produces six issues each school year, three each long semester.[2] Currently, the only issue produced during the summer is a "Best Of" issue from the previous year. Additionally, a short "Freshman Guide" issue is produced at the beginning of each school year. According to the TSM itself, the Travesty currently has a print distribution of roughly 25,000 copies, in addition to thousands of online readers.[2]
The Travesty is supported by advertising revenue. As a publication within TSM, the paper shares some revenue and expenses with the general TSM organization. The editor-in-chief holds a non-voting position on the TSM board of directors.
Several of the Travesty's writers and editors have gone on to publish That Other Paper, a once-popular but now-defunct alt-weekly in Austin, Texas.
Awards
- Austin Chronicle — Best of Austin
- 2014: Best Local Publication (Readers' Poll)
- 2010: Best Local Publication (Readers' Poll)
- 2009: Best Local Publication (Readers' Poll)
- 2006: Best Local Publication (Readers' Poll)
- 2005: Best Local Publication (Readers' Poll)
- 2004: Best Local Publication (Readers' Poll)
- 2003: Best Parody Newspaper (Critics' Choice)
Editors-in-chief
- Joshua Brenner (Fall 2015– )
- Chris Gilman (Fall 2014–Summer 2015 )
- Nick Mehendale (Fall 2013–Summer 2014)
- Katherine Swope (Summer 2012–Summer/Fall 2013)
- David McQuary (Summer 2011–Summer 2012)
- Alyssa Peters (Summer 2010–Summer 2011)
- Matt Ingebretson (Summer 2009–Summer 2010)
- Ross Luippold (Summer 2008–Summer 2009)
- Veronica Hansen (Summer 2007–Spring 2008)
- David Strauss (Summer 2006–Spring 2007)
- Kristin Hillery (Summer 2005–Spring 2006)
- Todd Ross Nienkerk (Summer 2003–Spring 2005)
- Trevor Rosen (Summer 2001–Spring 2003)
- Ben Stroud (Summer 2000–Spring 2001)
- Brad Butler (Spring 1998–Spring 2000)
- Kevin Butler (Spring 1997–Fall 1998)
