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Show i Your newspaper welcome 'Letters to the Editor' ill j By LLOYD SVEEN I Executive Editor j The Forum, Fargo, N.D. Since newspapers first were published, letters to the editor have been an important part of weekly and daily publications. 1 Most editors welcome and encourage such expressions of opinion by their readers. Letters provide a good cross section of opinion in the community, they give readers an opportunity to express themselves to a large audience and they are among the best-read items in any ' newspaper. j Except for a few extra-sensitive persons, editors also print letters violently disagreeing with positions taken by the newspaper. But even these enlightened editors do not publish all the letters they receive. And few letters are published without editing. Since editors invite readers to express their opinions, why don't they publish all letters as written? They want other sides to be heard that's part of what an editorial page is all about to stimulate public discussion and debate, to provide a wide range of opinion and information. 1 Why, then reject or change some letters? What editors hope for is reasoned I opinion, not rambling attacks. There are a j dozen or more candidates for every inch of i ! room on every editorial page, and more I; than enough writers, columnists and cartoons to fill the page. This is true of the entire newspaper. Staff reporters have their copy edited, corrected and trimmed to fit available space, or sent back for more facts when incomplete. Wire service copy in daily newspapers undergoes the same treatment. Similarly, if the editor is to give as many reader-writers as possible a chance to reach the newspaper audience I with their views he cannot allow one or two j long-winded writers to take up all the 1 space. I Since all newspaper copy is edited, why ! shouldn't letters to the editor as well? Professional writers expect and want editors to read and correct their copy for grammatical and spelling errors, to straighten out clumsy construction. But many letter writers cry "censorship" when their copy is edited even though a poorly -written letter might subject them to ridicule if published as written. Basic editing is simply common decency, just as weeding out the libelous and tasteless is basic self -protection. The solution? Letter writers should observe a few simple rules : Keep the letter short but complete. Stick to the point. Don't repeat it. '' ' Don't try to blanket the state by having your letter copied and mailed to more than one newspaper. Editoral pages are not vehicles for mass dissemination that smacks of propaganda. Write an original and different letter to each editor. Sign your name and give your address. If there are genuine reasons to fear retaliation, explain in a covering letter requesting that your name be withheld. Since editors are legally responsible for everything published, they must know the authorship of letters. Don't demand that your letter be published on a certain day. It may be delayed in the mail and not arrive by deadline and it would be out-of-date if held for a week. Your letter will be well read on any day if it is interesting and on a topic of broad appeal. Finally and this is not as frivolous as it may sound: Write legibly or type, preferably double space to allow for editing. And write on only one side of the paper, please. If you want to tell the editor he's a bum for writing a stupid editorial, fine. Tell him why you think his editorial was wrong and you don't have to begin by saying "You probably don't have the guts to print this, but. . ." His skin is thicker than most and he has had plenty of experience with differences of opinion. Your disagreement will be nothing new. |
