When in the course of ACU events Optimist readers need a little journalism lesson, we provide. It has become clear to us that a large number of students are unclear about the differences between columns, articles and editorials.
Everything on the Views page is someone’s opinion. The cartoon is Daniel Barcroft’s opinion. One or two editorials, which are the opinions of the Optimist editorial board, accompany the editorial cartoon-you are now reading the editorial. Sometimes these two are related, and sometimes they aren’t.
The columns, bodies of text with a little mug shot next to them, are the signed opinions of whomever wrote them. Signed columns appear regularly on this page, and sometimes on the Sports and A&E pages. They are not necessarily the opinion of the Optimist.
Everything else in the paper should be unbiased, objective journalism. Free of the writer’s opinion, these articles tell the stories of whatever event, meeting, sporting event or person they are about.
A system has been in place for the 90 years the Optimist has existed. Page editors, the editor-in-chief and, when necessary, the faculty adviser review and edit items scheduled to run in the newspaper. Most opinion items, any deemed to be potentially controversial, pass through each of these people, who judge their clarity and appropriateness to run in the Optimist.
Chances are a few students or faculty members on campus have disagreed with an Optimist editorial, cartoon or column. OK, many have disagreed.
An appropriate, 90-year-old avenue exists for those who disagree to express their views. The section formerly known as the letters section, “Your Voice,” is a forum for Optimist readers to voice an agreement or disagreement with something that was printed.
The Optimist welcomes dissenting criticism and differing opinions, as long as they follow the appropriate procedure. Again, this procedure for sending a letter to the editor is at the bottom of this page, but a helpful reminder is always a good thing.
With a little clarification of commonly used words and phrases, students gain a general understanding of how ACU’s all-American newspaper operates.
