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PCC Luncheon: Strengthening the Issues with Commentaries and Editorial Board Appeals

By Courtney Sabin

As times change, so does the news. And as newspapers shift focus to reporting for the Internet and on community news, commentary and editorial sections follow suit. These resources, which are sometimes overlooked or misunderstood, are now more capable than ever of providing a potential platform for your agenda.

This topic was recently addressed at a Publicity Club of Chicago luncheon by a panel consisting of R. Bruce Dold, editorial page editor for the Chicago Tribune, Cheryl Reed, editorial page editor for the Chicago Sun-Times, and Sally Eisele, managing editor of public affairs for Chicago Public Radio.

The panel focused on how news outlets are trying to, as Reed put it, “remake the editorial pages for the modern age.” All of the panelists agreed that the increasing demand for Web site coverage and community discussion has played a major role in how editorial and commentary pieces have evolved.

“Before we would tell you what to think, now we’re trying to have a two-way conversation,” Reed said. “What you would see as the traditional editorial doesn’t exist anymore.”

But this evolution has been a good one, according to the panel, that has opened up the editorial section to a whole new base of readers.

“The audience is much broader than ever before, and it may be larger than it ever was,” Dold said, quoting statistics that 40 percent of the Tribune’s regular readership are avid op-ed readers.

To get this audience talking, both papers have added blogs and video to their Web sites, as well as increased space for letters. This community feedback helps all the outlets understand what is important to their audience.

Reed said the Sun-Times always takes a stance of some sort but that when making decisions the editorial board will “talk a lot about what this means to Chicago” and to the paper’s audience, which she described as working-class Chicago. She also noted that they look at what the Chicago Tribune has done and make sure they are providing something new.

“It is an open discussion as opposed to the end of the story,” she said. “Studies show people value what other people think rather than the experts.”

And although Chicago Public Radio doesn’t have an editorial board, Eisele said, “We are making it our business to focus intently on the issues that resonate in this community. We are establishing stronger connections with policy makers and making opinion part of our ongoing coverage.”

PR professionals who want to pitch an editorial can take a cue from these changes for their own submissions. All three panelists prefer what Reed called “common language for the common people” as opposed to the bureaucratic language that bogs down many pitches they receive. Savvy pitches also consider the multimedia options available, such as blogs, Web video and audio, and even illustrations for the Chicago Sun-Times.

“We are trying to engage people where they haven’t been engaged,” Reed said.

The most key element is the topic itself. Due to time and space constraints, both the Tribune and the Sun-Times are trying to be more selective about the types of pitches they receive and the types of commentators they want for meetings.

“The mayor, the county board president, those are no-brainers,” Reed said. “But if you have some particular issue you can target on the news that’s local, we would be interested in talking to you.”

Eisele said editors at Chicago Public Radio conduct meetings on particular issues as well, but while Dold and Reed are looking to take a stance, Eisele is looking for information from a news standpoint.

Making the Pitch

All three panelists prefer to be contacted by e-mail and discourage phone calls. The editors prefer to receive material that considers the reader in thought and style.

“However you think that editorials are supposed to be written, don’t do that,” Dold said.

You can also set up a formal meeting with the editorial boards by e-mail. Dold and Reed said reporters will be present and on the record, and both papers often videotape the meetings for their Web sites.

“You can get a pretty good audience that way,” Dold said.

The Chicago Tribune has an 800 word maximum for editorials and a 400 word maximum for letters.

The Chicago Sun-Times has a 450 word limit. Local news and commentators are preferred. Reed asks that submissions be “engaging and on topic.”

Chicago Public Radio looks for commentary submissions that are no more than two pages in length. Political coverage will be emphasized as the 2008 presidential election draws closer.

“You’ve got to make us care about the story,” Eisele said. “It’s really hard for the good ideas to come to the top.”