Opinion Journalism Subgenres: Editorial, Column, Op-Ed, Letters
Opinion Journalism Subgenres
Opinion journalism offers a subjective analysis, interpretations, and value judgments on current events. Major subgenres of opinion journalism include the editorial, the opinion piece (op-ed), the column, and letters to the editor.
The Editorial
The editorial reflects the newspaper’s position on the most relevant current events. It is an argumentative text that aims to provide an overview and assessment of current events to the reader. The ultimate goal of publishing an editorial is to influence public opinion. The tone is sometimes measured, seeking a semblance of objectivity. However, there are times when the writers prefer to openly display the ideology of the newspaper, assuming the reader agrees. Although it may appear unsigned, it is usually drafted by a team of editorial members or by the director of the publication. The responsibility for the content always rests with the principal.
Editorials don’t have a fixed structure but usually contain a narrative summarizing the facts being evaluated and a free argumentative structure reviewing the reasons on which the newspaper bases its opinion. This part usually ends with a decision or conclusion.
The Column
The column is a journalistic genre similar to the opinion article but far more concentrated. It has the same general features as the op-ed but is distinguished by its brevity and regularity. This periodicity allows it to become a meeting point between an author and their readers. Columns have a fixed space in the newspaper. They are signed, and the author may be involved in literature and journalism. Columnists are often highly regarded and usually work with the newspaper.
Key features of columns include:
- Content can vary from serious to frivolous.
- Use of colloquialisms.
- Characterized by a distinctive vocabulary.
- Frequent use of literary devices.
- Often humorous and ironic.
- Different cultural references.
The Op-Ed
The opinion piece, or op-ed, is a signed text whose author is not part of the writing team. Often, it is a personality of intellectual relevance to whom the paper provides space to offer the public an opinion on an important issue. The fact that the author is not directly linked to the newspaper gives them freedom of expression. The selected theme, the treatment, and the opinions that appear are the responsibility of the author. They are neither conditioned by the paper’s editorial line nor have to coincide with it. The structure and personal style are also free. Therefore, an op-ed can be considered a short essay where subjectivity is one of its main characteristics.
Letters to the Editor
Letters to the editor are characterized by their directionality. They are the only space in the newspaper where readers can reverse the communication process and become transmitters of messages, information, or opinions. Although formally addressed to the newspaper, the recipient is not strictly the newspaper but its readers and, ultimately, the public. The topics vary, from objective narration of personal journeys involving some kind of complaint to reflections on current topics or replies to reports in the newspaper. In short, it is a short text where the reader is forced to condense their ideas, and its publication is the choice of the editor.