About Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor have played a vital role in forming public opinion and influencing power. In fact, the American newspaper format of today began with the printing and distribution of views, ideologies and commentary from citizens of the newly formed United States.

Time Frame

In colonial times, news was delivered in the form of letters and printed for distribution to the citizenry. As the fledgling country grew, so did the sophistication of news distribution through printing presses.
By the mid 1700s, news sheets, the precursor to newspapers, were widely distributed to advertise auctions and sales. In 1730, Benjamin Franklin took over the Philadelphia Instructor, a weekly educational tool of scientific definition, and turned it into the Pennsylvania Gazette. The Gazette published opinions from businessmen, politicians and community leaders as well as sale ads and public auctions.
By the 1800s, newspapers began to include "news" stories, and opinions and essays were relegated to a set page, which evolved into the editorial pages.

History of

By the turn of the 19th century, the editorial pages were the most common source of public input. Letters to the paper were written to support business and political administrations and to sway opinion.
The most common subjects of letters to the editor have historically been:
*Supporting or opposing the publication's stance on a topic
*Supporting or opposing another letter to the editor
*Commenting on a current political issue
*Correcting editorial errors
*Praising or criticizing news coverage
It was common practice for over 200 years for letters to be printed from anonymous sources, which was in keeping with a free press society. However, with the turn of the 20th century and into the Cold War era, editors began to require a verifiable source prior to printing a letter.

Evolution

Letters to the editor at the turn of the 21st century have become a free tool of political parties, community groups, activists and others trying to draw support.
Political campaigns have full-time staffers who write and distribute letters to supporters to sign and submit. Also, lobbyists paid to sway legislative bodies, professional unions and associations and religious bodies use the power and the freedom of the press to push agendas.

The Facts

Over time, guidelines have changed dramatically to what a publication will print.
Most editorial pages of major daily papers are inundated with letters about the hot topic of the day. Editors spend a good amount of time sorting through the letters and submitting a sampling of public opinion. Although editors generally read all submissions, many are cut automatically for containing profanity, libelous statements or unreasonably long diatribes.
Often, there are submission guidelines printed on the editorial page. Guidelines usually include a deadline for submission, an address--e-mail or regular mail--where to send the letter, length of submission and contact information for the author.

Function

The function of letters to the editor may have changed, yet the impact of public dialogue is still one of the most powerful tools of change in society.