Dulaney said the publication can improve by being more responsive to the community’s needs.
“We’re sort of at this line right now where print is what we do very well, but print isn’t always going to be as in-demand as it is now,” she said.
As editor-in-chief, she said she would urge the staff to be more versatile.
“The way that journalism is moving right now, you really can’t just be a writer or a designer,” Dulaney said. “You need to think beyond your specialty.”
With print media’s declining popularity, keeping The Daily Tar Heel relevant would be Dulaney’s greatest challenge, said Chris Roush, a business journalism professor who has taught three of Dulaney’s classes.
Roush said Dulaney knows the crucial difference between real news and a story someone wants written to suit an agenda.
“I think she’s really good at getting information out of people,” he said. “She’s very approachable and has a really good demeanor when she’s interviewing or talking to people.”
Dulaney also wants to encourage venturing out of the newsroom and into the community.
She said The Daily Tar Heel misses stories when its staff does not actively talk with community members.
Dulaney’s experience at The Daily Tar Heel helped her land an internship with The Charlotte Observer last summer.
Her quality work at The Daily Tar Heel set her apart from other potential interns, said Jim Walser, a senior editor and intern recruiter at the Observer.
During the summer, Dulaney distinguished herself by never hesitating to challenge others’ beliefs and versions of facts, Walser said.
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“She pounced on anything we asked her to do,” he said.
Walser said what makes Dulaney a good journalist also makes her a good leader.
“If you’re personally courageous, you’re going to try to transmit that down to reporters,” he said.
Contact the desk editor at state@dailytarheel.com.
