EDITORIAL PAGE

IMPORTANCE

Editorials may be supposed to reflect the opinion of the periodical. Editorials may also be in the form of editorial cartoons. Typically, a newspaper's editorial board evaluates which issues are important for their readership to know the newspaper's opinion.

Importance of Editorial Page

• The newspaper is the voice of the community. The editorials are the voice of the newspaper. This voice can inform readers, stimulate thinking, mold opinion and occasionally move people to action

• Writing an editorial to be worthy of print space, the editorial needs to tell the reader something that would not be discussed in a straight news story. However, the editorial must be researched carefully and just as thoroughly as a news story.

• The newspaper’s reputation is based on the accuracy of the supporting material found in an editorial.

• The editorial page is dominated by comment and analysis rather than objective reporting of factual information.

• Editorials reflect the views of the owners, managers or board of directors of media companies.

• Here, the opinions of the newspaper’s editorial board are put forth in editorials.

• Opinions of newspaper staff members and outside correspondents appear in by-lined columns usually located on the facing page, which is called the "op-ed" page. The op-ed page also contains analysis and background pieces.

Editorials are meant to influencepublic opinion, promote criticalthinking, and sometimes causepeople to take action on an issue.

Editorials have• 1. Introduction, body and conclusion like other news

stories

• 2. An objective explanation of the issue, especially complex issues

• 3. A timely news angle

• 4. Opinions from the opposing viewpoint that refute directly the same issues the writer addresses.

• 5. The opinions of the writer delivered in a professional manner. Good editorials engage issues, not personalities and refrain from name-calling or other petty tactics of persuasion.

• 6. Alternative solutions to the problem or issue being criticized. Anyone can gripe about a problem, but a good editorial should take a pro-active approach to making the situation better by using constructive criticism and giving solutions.

• 7. A solid and concise conclusion that powerfully summarizes the writer's opinion. Give it some punch.

Make-up of the editorial page

• Editorials

• Letter to the editor

• Editorial cartoon

• Columnists

• By-lined pieces

Editorial

Letters to the editor

Editorial cartoon

Purposes of the editorial page

• The editorial page provides a forum for the opinions of readers and editorial staff in order to:

• Provoke thought and discussion

• Influence public officials

• Suggest a course of action

• Provide background and analyses events

•

Types of editorials• Argument and persuasion: These take a firm

stance regarding a specific problem or condition and attempt to persuade readers to adopt the same point of view.

• Information and interpretation: These explain the significance of a situation, condition or news event. They range from pure information pieces that provide background and review facts, to highly interpretative ones that identify issues, examine motives and suggest possible consequences.

CONT…..

• Commendation: This type of item is used to express appreciation to an individual or organisation for a job well done.

• Entertainment: There are two types. One is the brief, humorous editorial of a light subject, intended to simply entertain. The other is the tongue-in-cheek or satirical editorial that pokes good-natured fun at a serious subject. Opinions are expressed on a wide range of topics, including foreign, national, municipal affairs; social issues; and sports

Planning the Editorial• Decide what issue you will write about and clearly define

the issue.

• Consider who your intended audience will be (for example, it may be the general readership, or it may be directed at those who hold a particular view that may or may not already have been expressed in the media or other public forum).

• Brainstorm a variety of strategies you can use to gain reader support for your view on the issue. These might include acknowledgement of the reader’s current viewpoint, listing benefits of the view you are promoting, providing reliable evidence, and using of sound reasoning.

• Develop logical and ethical arguments; avoid purely emotional aspect.

• Conduct necessary research both to gather information about the audience you are writing for, and to collect evidence, examples, and support for the view you are promoting.

• Develop an outline to follow before you begin writing.

Writing the Editorial

• 1. Pick a significant topic that has a current news angle and would interest readers.

• . Collect information and facts; include objective reporting; do research

• . State your opinion briefly.

•

• Explain the issue objectively as a reporter would and tell why this situation is important

• . Give opposing viewpoint first with its quotations and facts

• Refute (reject) the other side and develop your case using facts, details, figures, quotations. Pick apart the other side's logic.

• Concede a point of the opposition — they must have some good points you can acknowledge that would make you look rational.

• . Repeat key phrases to reinforce an idea into the reader's minds.

• . Give a realistic solution(s) to the problem that goes beyond common knowledge. Encourage critical thinking .

• . Wrap it up in a concluding punch that restates your opening remark (thesis statement).

• . Keep it to 500 words; make every work count; never use "I".

Editorials as reflectors of Editorial Policy

• Editorials reflect the issue positions taken by a publication. These essays, which can help influence decision-makers, are written by the editorial board and usually use information presented by local, state or national figures during an editorial board meeting or briefing.

• These meetings, which are often scheduled at regular times each week, typically last no more than one hour and take place at the publication’s office

Editorial Writers

• Editorial writers are news-oriented. Thus, meeting requests are more likely to be received positively if you approach an editor when transit or related issues are in the headlines. To request a meeting:

• Find out the publication’s position on specific public transportation issues before seeking a meeting. This can be accomplished by reviewing previously published editorials and relevant news coverage.

• Draft a brief letter to the editorial page editor stating why your issue or position is worthy of discussion. Provide compelling and timely facts that demonstrate you have valuable information or an interesting perspective to share. It is also useful to explain why the issue is particularly relevant to your community. (A sample letter is included in this manual.)

• Follow up with a telephone call.

Tips for a successful editorial board meeting

• Focus your presentation on no more than three main messages supported by facts, data, memorable examples, quotes.

• Show that you are aware of other approaches to the issue. Editorial writers may ask you to explain the opposing point of view.

• Consider taking along a copy who can provide additional credibility, expert testimony, personal insight or a local angle

• Be prepared to defend your position, answer questions, hand out simple charts or background materials and offer to be available if additional information is needed

• Writes comments on topics of reader interest to stimulate or mold public opinion, in accordance with viewpoints and policies of publication: Prepares assigned or unassigned articles from knowledge of topic and editorial position of publication, supplemented by additional study and research. Submits and discusses copy with editor for approval.

• Editorial writer may specialize in one or more fields, such as international affairs, fiscal matters, or national or local politics. He can also participate in conferences of editorial policy committee to recommend topics and position to be taken by publication on specific public issues.

• The Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing has been awarded since 1917 for distinguished editorial writing, the test of excellence being clearness of style, moral purpose, sound reasoning, and power to influence public opinion in what the writer conceives to be the right direction.

Columnist

• A columnist is someone who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions.

• Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications In some instances, a column has been written by a composite or a team, appearing under a pseudonym, or (in effect) a brand name.

• Some columnists appear on a daily or weekly basis and later reprint the same material in book collections., including blogs.

• In defining a column, Dictionary.com provides a breakdown of a few popular subjects covered by columnists:

• A regular feature or series of articles in a newspaper, magazine, or the like, usually having a readily identifiable heading and the byline of the writer or editor, that reports or comments upon a particular field of interest, as politics, theater or which may contain letters from readers, answers to readers' queries, etc.

• India

• M J Akbar,Chetan Bhagat,PremBhatia,Gurcharan Das,SwapanDasgupta,Sunita Narain,ChidanandRajghatta,Rajdeep Sardesai,TavleenSingh (1950– ), The Indian Express

Types of columnist

• Advice columnist

• Critic

• Editorial opinion columnist

• Gossip columnist

• Humor columnist

• Food columnist

OBJECTIVES AND IMPORTANCE OF COLUMNS

• Friendly atmosphere

• It is the objective of the column-writing to make a friendly andeasy atmosphere. The readers feel a newness,

freshness and friendliness inthe writing and reading of columnsof diverse nature.

• Essence of Experience

• The columnists undertake to mingle their life-long experience and knowledge in their columns, in friendly tones and amicable atmosphere.

• True genuine public opinion

• To enrich their knowledge, information and to form a strong habit for reference, cross-reference and repeated consultation are carried out. A personal column based on wisdom and worldly and religious knowledge assists the columnists for true and genuine public opinion.

• Individuality

• The tinge of personal and individual inclination is predominant present in the column-writing. We usually notice few names of columnists in all the newspapers and periodicals, whose columns enjoy popular approval. Their writings and sayings are given proper importance and weight due to individuality and personal address

• Propagation of supreme values

• Mainly current affairs and the issues of the times are the subjects of these columns. The art and the demands of the column-writing are to present the issues by detailed explanation and explanation. The Columns are mainly made the means to propagate the high values in the society, serve as deterrents of social and other evils and suggest measures to combat the evils and other social malpractices and other reformatory measures

• Colourful statements

• The various columns are manifestationsof stylish and colourful statements and pieces ofprose. A singlenewspaper contains usually more than one column on different permanent subjects or topics orcaptions.

• These present a pageantry of colourful pieces ofprose-writing, different standard stylesof writing,excellent literary pieces. Allthe readers can enjoy the particular styles and logical compositions with thebackground of intensive and extensive reading and experience of long years of practice.

Freelance Writers

• A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and labor contributed by its regular employees. Others are completely independent. "Independent contractor" would be the term used in a higher register of English.

• Definition: Freelance writers are writers who are not hired on a permanent/staff basis. They are hired to write a specific assignment, which generally occurs in a limited time period