The Cavalier Daily ran a story, "A warning sign at Zeta Psi," in today's paper that cited six sources who only spoke on condition of anonymity. It is not the first time the paper has quoted an anonymous source, nor will it be the last.
One hardly can open the pages of a major U.S. newspaper without noticing a story that quotes an anonymous source. It is ubiquitous in today's journalistic climate. Indeed, a 2005 study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism found that nearly 13 percent of front page stories in print, online and television news use anonymous sources, according to a column written by former ESPN.com ombudsman Don Ohlmeyer in May 2010.
Industry standard alone does not justify decision-making processes like the one that went into using anonymous sources in today's paper, however. Such statistics do point to a stark reality about contemporary journalism, though: To write the best stories and reveal important information, newspapers are quoting anonymous sources at an almost alarming rate.
In recent history, The Cavalier Daily has not been exempt from the occasional use of anonymous sources. In March 2010, when former Virginia basketball star Sylven Landesberg was suspended indefinitely, the paper cited an anonymous source who revealed Landesberg was suspended as a result of skipping art class. The story was important because it detailed the demise of Virginia's best player, and it only could be told through the use of a source who needed to be protected.
And in February 2011, the newspaper cited an anonymous source who accounted for the departure of former running back Torrey Mack from the Virginia football team. The source cited Mack's troubled academic past as the primary reason behind his decision to leave the University.
The University community needs to be aware of such developments - after all, student-athletes represent the University on a national level.
Today's story, of course, differs both in scope and in variety. At first glance, the use of 10 anonymous sources may seem superfluous. The intention of the story, however, was to generate an important discussion regarding Greek life's attempt to balance the need to uphold tradition while simultaneously ensuring its members' safety. That story only could be told through the use of anonymous sources.
For all its supposed rivalries, Greek life at the University is actually a close-knit community. For that reason, fraternity presidents were reluctant to speak to The Cavalier Daily, even when granted the condition of anonymity. To speak freely about an important subject - the near death of a pledge as a result of a tradition gone awry - these presidents needed to be protected. Otherwise, they likely would face reprimand from their peers in the Greek community, as commenting about other fraternities' traditions might be frowned upon.
The newspaper is aware of the potential perils of relying on anonymous sources. If a source is not cited by name, he does not have to grapple with issues of accountability. As such, a source with an axe to grind easily could relay misinformation to the paper, which would damage its credibility. One also could argue that if someone does not want to speak on the record, he should not comment at all.
It would be one thing if Cavalier Daily reporters asked their sources to lambast Zeta Psi fraternity for its poor judgment. The reality is quite the opposite. Sources were asked about their reaction to the incident in which a first-year pledge was hospitalized last March after consuming a bottle of soy sauce. They were asked if they thought the punishment handed down to Zeta Psi - the closing of its chapter until at least 2013 - was fair. Finally, they were asked to provide insight into the mindset of a fraternity president who is in a position to monitor the behavior of his fraternity brothers.
The Cavalier Daily hopes these questions will help foster a discussion about the importance of safety in fraternity houses at the University. The newspaper firmly believes that the pursuit of truth must be prioritized ahead of any other journalistic ideal. If that means relying on anonymous sources, then so be it.
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