Key Takeaways
- An editorial is an opinion piece written by the publisher or senior editorial staff of a publication, reflecting the opinion of the periodical on important issues.
- A letter to the editor is written by the readership of a publication, often in response to the editorial, and can support, oppose, comment on, or correct certain information published on the editorial page.
- While both editorials and letters to the editor are published on the editorial page, they serve different purposes and represent different perspectives.
Editorials and letters to the editor are both professional means of sharing ideas and opinions, providing a public outlet for various discussions and arguments. Although they serve a similar purpose, they feature unique characteristics and are distinct from one another.
An editorial is an opinion piece published in a written document, such as a newspaper or an article, that often reflects the opinion of the periodical. It is authored by the publisher or the senior editorial staff of the publication and can appear in the form of an article or editorial cartoon, emphasizing their view on matters they consider important for the benefit of their readership. These matters are evaluated by the editorial board of a publication before being published. The editorial is published on a dedicated page referred to as the editorial page, while major United States and Australian newspapers publish the editorial under the heading “opinions.” The opposite page to the editorial page is known as the op-ed page and contains various pieces from writers not directly related to the newspaper. Some papers in countries such as France, Italy, and Spain opt to have their editorial on the front page, while in the normal English language press, this is rarely done except on topics considered especially important.
A letter to the editor, often abbreviated as LTTE or LTE, is a letter received from the readership of a publication that addresses concerns and issues deemed important. They are intended for publication and are sent through either e-mail or conventional mail. While the term “letter to the editor” is mostly used when discussing newspapers and newsmagazines, it can also appear in technical and entertainment magazines, TV, radio, etc. On TV and radio, such letters are read out loud, allowing them to be heard by the public. However, in academic publishing, letters to the editor come in the form of post-publication reviews to which the author is free to reply with a letter of their own. A letter to the editor may support, oppose, or comment upon a view taken by the editorial of the publication or another writer’s letter to the editor, or it may correct errors or misinterpretations. A feature of American newspapers, the letter to the editor is now prominent in electronic media and news websites, reaching a larger audience.
The editorial and the letter to the editor are both published on the editorial page, which may or may not be the front page of a newspaper. However, several distinctions exist between editorials and letters to the editor, setting them apart as two very different features. Editorials are written by the editorial staff of a publication, while letters to the editor are written by the readership. Letters to the editor are often written in response to the editorial. Editorials represent the opinion of the periodical on important issues, while letters to the editor serve no such purpose and seek to support, oppose, comment on, or correct certain information published on the editorial page.
