Photo by Erin Kirkland
In the Name of Editorial Freedom: 125 Years at the Michigan Daily
Released September 2015, University of Michigan Press
In the Name of Editorial Freedom is a collection stories behind the stories that some of today's top journalists covered while working for the University of Michigan's largest student-run newspaper, The Michigan Daily. The book includes historic events such as the 1965 Selma march, Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision and September 11 attacks, as well as milestones in Michigan athletics and never-before-printed photos. Besides providing a behind-the-scenes look at the stories that rolled off the Daily's printing press, the firsthand accounts showcase how reporters, editors and photographers at media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Detroit Free Press and newsrooms across the country, started their careers. In celebration of the 125th anniversary of The Michigan Daily, the book pays tribute to thousands of Daily alumni and decades they spent documenting history.
The following alumni reveal the lessons they learned at 420 Maynard and the power of editorial freedom:
Nicole Auerbach, USA Today
Scott Bell, The Dallas Morning News
Rick Berke, Stat
Jillian Berman, MarketWatch
Laura Berman, The Detroit News
Rebecca Blumenstein, The Wall Street Journal
Chris Burke, Sports Illustrated
Jay Cassidy, Academy-nominated film editor
Tony Ding, The Associated Press
Chris Dzombak, The New York Times
Beth Fertig, WNYC Public Radio
Sara Fitzgerald, The Washington Post
Geoff Gagnon, GQ
Chantel Jennings, ESPN
Dhani Jones, Travel Channel
Ryan Kartje, Orange County Registrar
Andrew Kroll, National Journal
Sara Krulwich, The New York Times
Andrew Lapin, NPR
Joseph Lichterman, Neiman Journalism Lab
Brady J. McCollough, Pittsburgh-Post Gazette
Margaret Myers, PBS NewsHour
Stephen J. Nesbitt, Pittsburgh-Post Gazette
Dan Okrent, The New York Times
John Papanek, ESPN
Alan Paul, The Wall Street Journal
Jeremy Peters, The New York Times
Shannon Pettypiece, Bloomberg
Roger Rapoport, Author/filmmaker
Joshua Rich, The Wrap
Keith Richburg, The Washington Post
Tim Rohan, The New York Times
Michael Rosenberg, Sports Illustrated
Andy Sacks, Freelance photographer/filmmaker
Adam Schefter, ESPN
Mark Snyder, The Detroit Free Press
Leslie Wayne, The New York Times
Josh White, The Washington Post
Bill Stieg, Men's Health
Foreword by Tom Hayden
Edited and with an introduction by Stephanie Steinberg
Order the book from the University of Michigan Press here.
For updates, follow @DailyAlumniBook on Twitter.
ISNB 978-0-472-03637-0 (paper); 978-0-472-12122-9 (e-book)
“I cannot imagine a better way to celebrate 125 years of student journalism than the essays contained in this wonderful volume. Going back some 55 years, the authors, all of whom are successful in their craft, have fashioned for us a unique window into the lives of students at the University of Michigan. Their stories are powerful and remind us of the magic of this place where students both are challenged and challenge others daily to change the world for the better”
“They say a newspaper is a daily miracle. If that’s so, The Michigan Daily is something beyond that, with the whole operation run by a bunch of sleep-deprived 20-year olds. What could go wrong? Here, Daily alums share their mistakes freely, weaving their stories through a half-century of American history with wit and wisdom – much of it hard-earned – but also justifiable pride in their idealism, their dedication, and the seriousness of the work they did while mere undergraduates. For all they’ve accomplishments since their Daily days, you get the feeling they’d trade it all for another year at 420 Maynard — and you understand why.”
“This book provides a truly wonderful collection of essays by alumni of the Michigan Daily, one of the nation’s leading college newspapers, concerning their experiences as students covering some of the most important moments in the history of our university, the nation, and the world. Since many of these Michigan Daily alumni have gone on to important careers in American journalism, their fascinating perspectives provide strong evidence of the educational power of such student extracurricular experiences.”