News editorials, also called opinion pieces or op-eds, are the third pillar of a newspaper’s opinion pages. They direct your eyes to items worth crowing proudly about, issue warnings to the public and decry anything that smacks of corruption, greed or malfeasance.
While an editorial reflects the writer’s opinion, it should be objective in its analysis of a particular situation or event. It should also provide a solution, a way to persuade readers to take action or change their attitudes.
To write an effective News editorial, start with a rich question or a quote that will catch the reader’s attention. Then lead into your stance on the issue by explaining the topic clearly, without any trace of biasness. Be sure to address the 5 W’s and H — who, what, when, where, why and how.
Generally, an editorial should agree with the status quo on a given subject, although not always. Often, it will contain at least one “point of enlightenment,” which can be an observation that’s fresh and original and draws your audience’s attention to a pattern, impending consequences or a hole in current analysis. Then, you’ll need to refute (reject) the other side of the story by presenting facts, details, figures and quotations that are well-substantiated and persuasive. You may even want to concede a point of the opposition to make yourself look more rational. Lastly, you’ll need to propose a solution and give strong reasons why it’s valid and applicable.