On Tuesday, Jan. 25, Heath Fisher, a University alumnus and member Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, was killed in a helicopter crash during maneuvers in Texas. Fisher was a second lieutenant and a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army.

On Wednesday The Daily Collegian was notified of his death. What makes something newsworthy? Well, I'll tell you.

First, something must be timely. It happened early last week, and you had the opportunity to break the story before anyone in this area -- you blew it. Second, it must be interesting. CNN reported it on the news. CNN clearly thought the death of an American soldier was interesting or they wouldn't have broadcast it. Third would be proximity. He was a Penn State grad, and a recent one at that (January 1992). Forth, it may be unusual. There was a military helicopter crash -- that doesn't happen every day. Unusual would be that it was a Penn State grad and how many alumni die in ways like that?

Why did the Reading Eagle/Times run a story about it on the front page for two days? Reading is bigger than State College, and it has a bigger circulation. A lot of people in Reading die every year. Heath hadn't really lived in Reading since he graduated high school, but the Eagle/Times thought it was newsworthy anyway.

Just some ideas about why the Greek community doesn't like the Collegian much. We make up 10 to 15 percent of the student population. Are the activities of the Greek system adequately covered -- I think not. The only time the Greeks get any coverage at all is when something bad happens.

We raise a lot of money for a lot of charities, a lot more than ANY other student group. What I'm saying is that we deserve more and better coverage.

The lack of a story about Heath is just an example of that lack of coverage.