College newspapers across the United States are facing similar declines in advertising revenue and cost cutting measures as professional publications, USA Today reported Friday.

Newspapers at universities have traditionally relied on national, local and college sponsored advertising for income. This year all three categories have reduced their spending, according to Andrew Sawyer, the vice president of the youth orientated advertising agency Alloy Media and Marketing.

The arrival of the current academic year has seen daily newspapers at Syracuse University, New York University, the University of California-Berkeley, Ball State, Boston University and Georgia Southern all drop one edition a week due to declining advertising revenue, according to USA Today.

"We have to break even this year. Otherwise, we're not going to make it," said Bryan Thomas, 22, editor of Berkeley's Daily Californian, which stopped printing on Wednesdays in August 2008.

Howard University's paper, The Hilltop, halted all publication in March 2008 as printing costs outweighed advertising income, USA Today reported. The newspaper was able to begin daily production again in the autumn after vigorous pursuit of local advertisers.

The impact to college newspapers sees the industry suffering right at its roots as young journalists lose experience opportunities. "Just like in any other business, one of the first targets to get cut is employee training," Frank LoMonte, executive director of the Student Press Law Center, told USA Today.

While most staff are voluntary, senior editing staff at The Daily Californian and New York University's Washington Square News have had their small monthly salaries cut in another cost cutting move. Editors at the the University of Pennsylvania's Daily Pennsylvanian, for example, make US$100 to $300 per month.