I 

spent 
the 
majority 

of 
my 
Winter 
Break 

watching 
CNN 
while 

doing some reading. It felt 
like every few seconds, I 
was hit with a “breaking” 
story that made me turn my 
eyes toward the television. 
Then, I was spun around by a 
ringing notification from the 
New York Times telling me 
there’s another story I have 
to read. Before I can even 
open the app, I would get an 
email telling me that there’s 
another 
news 
story 
that 

requires my attention.

Could it have been a big 

story that’s just developing 
and 
requires 
the 
public’s 

immediate attention in every 
medium? Unfortunately no. 
All three of these stories 
were either day-to-day events 
in the Trump White House 
(a press conference was just 
starting), an article from 
The New York Times about 
a diabetes epidemic in India 
and a daily briefing on politics 
from The Hill. And yet all 
of these stories attempted 
to convince me to read their 
story first by parading around 
as critically important to my 
political awareness.

I’ve 
always 
questioned 

the efficacy of a journalist 
slamming a symbolic fist on 
the table in an attempt to 
change the reader’s mind. 
In today’s day and age, we 
have more information at our 
fingertips than ever before, 
but that doesn’t mean that 
we’ve become adept at sifting 
through this information to 
create coherent messages that 
can influence opinion. For 
instance, 
while 
magazines 

can celebrate the news media 
influencing public opinion, 
we are left with marginal 
gains at the most. About one 
in 50 people with access 
to these particular stories 
had 
ideological 
shifts 
in 

the direction of the opinion 
articles they read.

This 
requires 
an 

astonishing feat that isn’t 
quite 
acknowledged: 
A 

journalist 
does 
not 
only 

need 
an 
attentive 
reader, 

but a reader who is willing 
to comprehend the article, 
spend 
cognitive 
resources 

negotiating this article with 
existing opinions and trust 
this source as credible enough 
to influence their opinion.

In stark contrast to the 

late 2000s that suggested 
conventional 
news 
was 

dying, 
we 
are 
consuming 

news through our mobile 
devices 
more 
than 
ever 

before. The Pew Research 
Center suggests nearly two 
out of 10 people consume 
news often because they can 
freely access it through social 
media outlets and seven out 
of 10 get at least some of their 

news from social media. But 
as columnist Farhad Manjoo 
eloquently 
put 
it, 
we’re 

confined by our technology 
into somewhat comfortable 
prisons. Your “new” devices, 
websites and apps compete 
with the “old” television and 
radio with daily alerts trying 
to get you to pay attention in 
ways you may never have before.

In order to compete, news 

organizations have increased 
“breaking news” stories that 
have no reason to be called as 
such. Sarah Huckabee Sanders 
getting up on a podium isn’t 
news; 
perhaps 
what 
she 

says on that particular day 
might be, but I refuse to 
believe that everything in 
a press conference is worth 
streaming live on television 

or on Facebook live feeds. Nor 
is it worth calling, in totality, 
breaking news.

In finding ways to get 

viewers, 
journalists 
have 

given up on a key tenant 
of 
reporting: 
interpretive 

journalism. 
This 
kind 
of 

reporting 
ensures 
that 

viewers get news that matters 
and 
protects 
journalism 

from a legislator or president 
using 
them 
to 
become 
a 

press release. In this way, 
the CNNs and the New York 
Times of the world have 
slowly spiraled 
downward 

to become another arm of a 
presidential administration.

Not all hope is lost, though. 

There 
is 
still 
important 

local and national reporting 
that is helping us shape our 
perceptions 
on 
a 
variety 

of issues. There is great 
reporting 
about 
systemic 

issues of sexual assault. The 
Michigan 
Daily 
has 
kept 

the University of Michigan 
abreast in news regarding 
Richard 
Spencer, 
the 
tax 

plan and net neutrality. The 
news still has the ability to 
garner 
interest 
in 
stories 

that previously weren’t being 
talked about, and they can 
help us find standards with 
which to judge our candidates 
and individuals in office.

Long-form 
reporting, 

especially 
when 
done 
about 

topical issues in ways that 
provide 
substantive 
evidence 

and potential policy solutions, 
can help fight the breaking 
news culture across a variety 
of challenges, but consumers 
(like those of you reading this 
article) need to acknowledge 
faux breaking news when it 
happens. Demand better of your 
journalistic outlets and consume 
news that not only informs, but 
provides deeper insight into 
issues you might care about. Is an 
outlet not doing that for you? Find 
a better one, and we can combat 
the 86,400-second news cycle 
that has become so pervasive in 
our everyday lives.

Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4A — Tuesday, January 16, 2018

DAYTON HARE

Managing Editor

420 Maynard St. 

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

 tothedaily@michigandaily.com

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.

ALEXA ST. JOHN

Editor in Chief
 ANU ROY-CHAUDHURY AND 

ASHLEY ZHANG
Editorial Page Editors

Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s Editorial Board. 

All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

Carolyn Ayaub
Megan Burns

Samantha Goldstein

Emily Huhman
Jeremy Kaplan

Sarah Khan

Max Lubell

Lucas Maiman

Madeline Nowicki
Anna Polumbo-Levy 

Jason Rowland

Anu Roy-Chaudhury

Ali Safawi

Sarah Salman
Kevin Sweitzer

Rebecca Tarnopol

Stephanie Trierweiler

Ashley Zhang

The perils of breaking-news culture

IAN LEACH | COLUMN

“News 

organizations 
have increased 
‘breaking news’ 
stories that have 
no reason to be 
called as such. ”

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FROM THE DAILY

IFC reinstatement needs transparency

O

n Jan. 3, the Interfraternity Council at the University of Michigan lifted 
their two-month self-imposed suspension and are gradually restarted 
social activities and formal rush. The suspension was first enacted after 

troubling allegations of sexual assault, hazing and binge drinking surfaced.

In November, The Michigan 

Daily 
Editorial 
Board 

called on the IFC to address 
systemic problems among its 
fraternities. At the time of 
publication, we hoped the IFC 
would increase transparency 
regarding these very serious 
issues. However, questions 
remain unanswered after this 
reinstatement. In order to 
prove the effectiveness and 
commitment to change from 
this self-imposed suspension, 
we urge the IFC to release the 
action plans and any records 
of alleged misconduct of any 
fraternities. Doing so would 
not only reaffirm trust but also 
show sincerity in their reforms.

We would appreciate if 

the IFC took the time during 
these 
past 
three 
months 

to 
think 
introspectively 

about how the culture of 
their institution led to these 
widespread 
abuses, 
and 

what could be done to repair 
the culture. Yet the only 
information the IFC has been 
willing to release publicly 
is that a fraternity’s social 
privileges 
are 
contingent 

upon 
the 
successful 

implementation of specific 
individualized action plans. 
While we hope that these 
action plans are sufficient to 
address the IFC’s underlying 
institutional 
issues, 
the 

campus community is unable 
to 
judge 
for 
themselves 

whether 
steps 
taken 
are 

sufficient to ensure overall 
community safety.

Fraternities are in a unique 

position to impact meaningful 
change on their members 
and the campus as a whole, 
yet despite espousing values 
of brotherhood and strong 
moral character, actions by 
fraternities in this academic 
year alone prove antithetical 

to these standards. Recent 
severe incidents regarding 
fraternities 
both 
at 
the 

University 
and 
at 
other 

universities throughout the 
country underscore that the 
IFC must demonstrate they 
are taking the necessary steps 
to safeguard the wellbeing 
of their members and the 
greater student community. 
Suspending social activities 
for two months, and then not 
releasing plans demonstrating 
that they have identified and 
are attempting to remedy 
institutional 
shortcomings, 

is insufficient for reassuring 
the 
community 
that 
the 

institution has changed for 
the better.

We 
are 
especially 

concerned 
the 
proposed 

institutional 
action 
plans 

were not enough to convince 
the national organization of 
Zeta Beta Tau to allow the 
fraternity to remain at the 
University. 
ZBT’s 
chapter 

was 
shut 
down 
for 
the 

fourth time in its history at 
the University of Michigan 
with 
prior 
removals 
in 

2000, 2006 and 2012. This 
revolving door of fraternities 
getting 
expelled 
only 
to 

reemerge in subsequent years 
is indicative of the deep 
structural problems that at 
least the fraternity’s national 
organization has not found 
to be addressed by the IFC’s 
proposed action plans.

Greek life has been an 

integral part of Michigan 
student life dating back to 
its introduction to campus in 
1845. Currently, 17 percent of 
the student body is involved 
in Greek life, but many more 
are 
indirectly 
involved, 

either through friendships 
with students in Greek life 
or 
participation 
in 
Greek 

events. 
Greek 
life 
social 

events play a formative role 
in 
undergraduate 
social 

lives. For example, fraternity 
parties 
are 
often 
new 

students’ first exposure to 
college social life. Greek life 
isn’t exclusive to only those 
who are in fraternities or 
sororities, but the inherent 
social overlaps make it all 
the more important that the 
student body understands and 
is made aware of allegations 
and efforts to combat issues 
within the system.

The 
incidents 
that 

prompted the IFC to establish 
this suspension in the first 
place reflect poorly on the 
entire University community. 
As one of the most reputable 
public universities in the 
nation, our students’ behavior 
must exemplify the values 
this institution prides itself 
on and the campus climate 
we want to create for each 
other. The IFC suspension 
provided 
the 
opportunity 

for the Greek community to 
prove themselves worthy of 
being considered among the 
leaders and best.

Sadly, 
the 
ineffective 

implementation 
of 
this 

suspension 
and 
the 

IFC’s 
continued 
lack 
of 

accountability 
indicates 

insincerity. 
We 
hope 
the 

IFC takes a hard look at the 
culture 
embedded 
in 
its 

storied institution. The first 
step to what will hopefully 
be a transformative process 
for both Greek life and the 
University 
begins 
with 

transparency 
through 
the 

publication of the IFC action 
plans, as well as any records 
of alleged misconduct.

Illustration by Natalie Brown.

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our newsroom at 420 Maynard Street. All are welcome to come discuss 

national, state and campus affairs.

Ian Leach can be reached at 

ileach@umich.edu.

SARAH NEFF | CONTACT SARAH AT SANE@UMICH.EDU