A woman came in this week and asked why I think fewer letters appear on the opinion page these days. Seemed like a decent enough question. It’s one I’ve heard before, since many newspapers have seen a decline in letter submissions.
This woman thought that when the newspaper forms its opinion on a subject, people don’t like to write in. As if to say, when the newspaper speaks, all other opinions are shot down and not valid. I don’t really see that as a correlation, but that was her opinion.
If anything, I think local editorials and our opinion spur reader opinion and fuel letters to the editor. Sometimes people agree, sometimes they don’t. That’s the idea of an opinion page.
But to answer her initial question, I think there’s a couple reasons newspapers, not just this one, have less letter writers.
The Internet
I think the opportunity to submit your opinion on blogs, newspaper message boards and social network sites like Facebook make things easier for those looking to chime in on the topic du jour. Most message boards and blogs you can post your opinion anonymously. We all know the good and bad with that, especially if you ever visited this newspaper’s former message board.
It truly was “the good, the bad, the ugly.” And to be honest, that’s another thing that’s common among newspapers — ugly, ugly message boards with really no redeeming quality. (Truthfully, I’ve yet to find a decent message board, whether it’s run by a newspaper or not. Ah ... the Internet.)
But for the author, anonymity seems to reign.
I think some of the more thoughtful commenters to any online site appreciate the anonymity as well, because they don’t want to face the digital beat down from the less than civil posters on a certain thread. If the childish contributors disagree with something, they’ll let you know, so I think those want to contribute a thoughtful opinion, don’t want to open themselves to potential ridicule.
It’s easier to be lockporteditor1981 than Tim Marren I guess.
Lazy
The Internet certainly has made commenting on local, state, national or international events a heck of a lot easier, and people take the time to do just that. But when it comes to sitting down and writing or typing a letter and clicking send or mailing it to the newspaper, many pass.
Again, they may not like the idea that you have to put your name and town with it, and all who read will know your opinion on a subject, but even some of the most outspoken, “care-less-what-people-think” people I’ve met over the years still haven’t taken the time to write and send in.
Oh they’ll call, they’ll stop down, they’ll e-mail me and tell me everything they think about something, but once you tell them how you’d love to have that as an op/ed piece, they say “Oh, I don’t want that printed.”
Well, thanks for taking the last 15 minutes of my day, then.
I think at that point they got the satisfaction of getting their opinion off their chest, and telling the newspaper editor gives them a sense of relief or hope that change will come of whatever issue they are opining on. But it’s not the same. More change comes from a published letter that all can see.
So don’t be afraid of what others may think. Don’t hide behind anonymity.
Have an opinion and send it in.
Tim Marren is managing editor of the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal. Contact him at tim.marren@lockportjournal.com or 439-9222.
Tim Marren
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Tim Marren / Lockport Union-Sun & Journal Managing Editor
MARREN: Have an opinion, send it in
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A woman came in this week and asked why I think fewer letters appear on the opinion page these days. Seemed like a decent enough question. It’s one I’ve heard before, since many newspapers have seen a decline in letter submissions.
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