Opinion Pieces and the Op-Ed Page

April 24, 2020

(These articles are written by students as a part of their assignment exercise during the period of COVID-19. Views expressed are their personal. Blog owner does not take any responsibility for their authenticity, correctness or appropriateness and shall not be responsible for any matter arising out of their interpretation.)  

An Op-Ed page is essentially a short term that stands for “Opposite the Editorial Page”. This means that the Op-Ed page is strictly not to be affiliated with the expression of the editorial board. Opinion pieces express unfiltered and unbiased views of the writer/author. It is the type of journalism that many freelance writers place their bets on. Op-ed articles are not only a form of personal expression. They can give people more to think about, expand their horizons, increase their questioning capacity and perhaps even reshape public policy. It can be said that the Op-Ed pages almost work independently from the rest of the newspaper. It is not only an opinionated force, but also opposing. An op-ed page first came into being in 1921. It was introduced by Herbert Bayard Swope of The New York Evening World. He was mesmerised by the idea of how catchy and attention grabbing opinionated articles can be. He started off by publishing opinions of the employees of his newspaper. The “modern” op-ed page however, is a little different now. It was introduced in 1970 by John Oakes who was the editor of The New York Times back then.

Opinion pieces were not only important because they engaged the audience in a larger way. They were also meant to be used in a competitive manner. Since the 1930s, the radio was occupying a massive audience followed by television which did the same. To curb the threat of their growing popularity, major newspapers decided to start printing more Op-Eds and more subjective work to cater to their audience. James Bennet, the current editor of the Opinion Page of the New York Times asserts with regard to the opinion page that, “The goal is to supply readers with a steady stream of big ideas and provocative arguments, and to entertain them.” He further also said, “My own view is that, particularly now, we owe it to our readers to present a wide range of intellectually honest opinions.” Op-Eds are normally quite lengthy and attributed to a writer who is possibly an expert in the specific matter. Not only does it express a unique voice, but also exhibits clarity of thought.

To write an effective Op-Ed article, one must start very strongly. A punchline, a controversial claim, an uncommonly known fact or a counter-intuitive observation, can really attract readaers to that lengthy piece of writing. The ending can be of two primary types. An “open ending”, gives the reader much more room to think and opine for himself as it is open to interpretation and analysis. A “closed ending”, states a definite conclusion that gives the readers a final understanding and wraps up the piece. It is also important that the op-ed piece must be written a way that it makes people want to care. While the words should reflect personalisation, they must also be relatable to the readers.  One must try to express views that have not been discussed extensively or articulated elsewhere. Detailed explanations should reflect how the opinions expressed in the article are important to the perception of the readers. The topic must affect them in an obvious manner. Relevant examples and symbolic demonstration are effective tools for the same. Rather than facts, statistics and confusing numerical terms, people tend to better remember and associate colorful details and symbols. One must actively use the same while presenting their arguments. Moreover, to keep the interest of the reader going, technical jargon should be avoided as much as possible. Language must be lucid and neatly presented. One must be able to gauge which technical details are necessary and which are not. Graphics, charts and images are also acceptable as they make the article more conclusive. Interesting illustration or comics can make the op-ed seem lighter and more fun to read.

The most important thing that one should keep in mind while writing an Op-Ed is, acknowledging the arguments of the other side. One can cite sources, add quotes or simply paraphrase universally accepted arguments. It is imperative, to try to give the audience a balanced report but in a careful manner so as to not lose one’s personal conviction. All the facts and important points must be drawn out properly. It makes one’s work seem more credible and well-researched which in turn, makes your argument seem even more effective. One must also constantly write in first person and use the Active voice. It is not only easier to read, but displays much better conviction.

Op-eds are essentially of three main types.

1) Columns
A column is a specific area of expertise and newspaper space that is dedicated to a writer/journalist. The writer may freely use that space to address issues,express opinions and start conversations. They can even include personal stories, but ones that can be impactful. Columnists are generally some well known, famous names. However, they must act with immense care and caution since they represent themselves.

2) Editorial
 This type of article, is a statement that represents the position of the publication’s editorial board which is composed of opinion writers and top editors. They discuss, debate, opinionate and channel their views to the public after much research and analysis. The New York Times describes its editorial board in the following manner.  "Their primary responsibility is to write The Times’s editorials, which represent the voice of the board, its editor and the publisher. The board is part of the Opinion department, which is operated separately from The Times’s newsroom, and includes the Letters to the Editor and Op-Ed sections."

3) Letter to the Editor
 This type of writing is normally shorter and written by a reader. This is a space for the audience to share their experiences and opinions. They can freely express their views however their submissions cannot be too long. It could be a social issue, a political opinion or a relevant anecdote. However, no article is guaranteed publication and is left to the discretion of the editors.

Thus op-eds are democratic and act as a harbinger of freedom because they deliberately invite interesting ideas and narrate the same. Many authors even enjoy using humour in their articles to keep the tone light and conversational. Many sidelined views are brought to the forefront and discussed and debated upon. Op-ed pieces are game-changers from the point of view of freedom of expression.

References:
1)https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/01/opinion/and-now-a-word-from-op-ed.html
2)http://web.archive.org/web/20160201094734/http://newsoffice.duke.edu/duke_resources/oped
3)https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/2018/09/13/oped-editorial-opinion-section-journalism-terms-defined-des-moines-register/1224898002/
4) https://commskit.duke.edu/writing-media/writing-effective-op-eds/
5)https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/hks-communications-program/files/new_seglin_how_to_write_an_oped_1_25_17_7.pdf
6)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op-ed

Gaurvi Narang
Roll Number 48
Department Of Journalism