the art and practice of editorial writing

The Art and Practice of Editorial WritingDan McCalebEditor, Northwest HeraldCrystal Lake, IL

About the speaker

Dan McCaleb Reporter, The Daily Advertiser/Daily Iberian    

1992-1996New Iberia, La.

Metro Editor, TDA  1992-1996 News Editor, TDA 1997-1999

New Iberia, La. Editor, Kokomo Tribune 1999-2004

Kokomo, Ind. Managing Editor, Northwest Herald 2004-2009

Crystal Lake, IL Editor, Northwest Herald 2009-Present

Newspaper Editorials

What are they and why do they matter?

Newspaper Editorials

What are they and why do they matter?

What does 'institutional view' mean, and how does that affect a newspaper's editorial page?

Newspaper Editorials

What are they and why do they matter?

What does 'institutional view' mean, and how does that affect a newspaper's editorial page?

What are the newspaper's core values? Editors come and go. Core values generally do

not.

Newspaper Editorials

What's the difference between a personal column and a newspaper editorial?

Newspaper Editorials

What's the difference between a personal column and a newspaper editorial?

What other opinions matter? Letters from readers Guest columns from government

officials, community leaders, and others Syndicated columnists

Northwest Herald's Editorial Board

John Rung - Publisher

Dan McCaleb - Editor

Kevin Lyons - News Editor

Cyndi Wyss - Community Editor

Eric Olson - Sports Editor (former community editor and news reporter)

The components of editorial writing

What are the components?

Clarity of thought (editorial should be well reasoned, where idea collaboration among staff/editorial board is helpful)

Pungency of phrase (the basis of persuasive writing has to be good writing)

Statement of a need or expectation in concrete terms as a basis for action (call to action important, whether it's to implore official action, or to encourage the public to get involved)

Fostering appreciation of humanity's limitations, capability for folly, and potential for glory (and never forget the importance of your own humility; recognize legitimate arguments that are contrary to your own; don't ignore the very real possibility that you might be wrong)

Hospital proposal

Tax hike

Tax hike

Tax hike

Famous Editorials

"Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus" Francis P. Church The Sun (New York), Sept. 21, 1897

"We were wrong, wrong, wrong" Charles Overby Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger,

September 1982

Should newspapers endorse? Chicago Sun-Times, Jan. 23, 2012

“Why we will no longer endorse in elections” "We have come to doubt the value of candidate endorsements

by this newspaper or any newspaper, especially in a day when a multitude of information sources allow even a casual voted to be better informed than ever before.“

Chicago Tribune, Jan. 24, 2012 “Why we endorse: You have to make decisions. The Tribune

tries to help” “Newspapers have a unique role as public citizen. They did in

1860 and they do today. It would be an abdication to say what we think should be done on an array of issues every day – and then take a vow of silence about who is most likely to advance those goals.”

Should newspapers endorse? Chicago Sun-Times, Jan. 23, 2012

“Why we will no longer endorse in elections” "We have come to doubt the value of candidate endorsements

by this newspaper or any newspaper, especially in a day when a multitude of information sources allow even a casual voted to be better informed than ever before.“

Chicago Tribune, Jan. 24, 2012 “Why we endorse: You have to make decisions. The Tribune

tries to help” “Newspapers have a unique role as public citizen. They did in

1860 and they do today. It would be an abdication to say what we think should be done on an array of issues every day – and then take a vow of silence about who is most likely to advance those goals.”

Endorsement trends

Election Central

Session Exercise

Select a topic.

Form an institutional view.

The components of editorial writing

Remember the key components:

Clarity of thought (editorial should be well reasoned, where idea collaboration among staff/editorial board is helpful)

Pungency of phrase (the basis of persuasive writing has to be good writing)

Statement of a need or expectation in concrete terms as a basis for action (call to action important, whether it's to implore official action, or to encourage the public to get involved)

Fostering appreciation of humanity's limitations, capability for folly, and potential for glory (and never forget the importance of your own humility; recognize legitimate arguments that are contrary to your own; don't ignore the very real possibility that you might be wrong)

Closing

Dan McCalebNorthwest Herald

dmccaleb@shawmedia.com

www.nwherald.com