Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor (LTE), a long-standing tradition in American journalism, are letters sent to publications by readers to express opinions about a wide range of issues. While LTEs traditionally have been sent to newspapers, they are now also submitted to electronic broadcast media, including local and national television and radio news programs. In these latter cases, the letters are sometimes read on the air. LTEs are deemed important because they (a) provide a public forum for deliberation and debate on critical issues in a democracy, (b) can influence public policy via their use by both citizens and politicians, and (c) underscore the role of journalism in society and its responsibility to offer a space for public debate. Academic research on this topic has examined the nature of that public forum.

One the one hand, it has been noted that caution should be taken in surmising that letters to the editor are a true reflection of public opinion on a topic. For example, LTEs may be biased in that they simply reflect the opinions of the editorial staff who act as gatekeepers in their selection and publication. Or letters may be chosen for inclusion because of their sensational or dramatic appeal to readers rather than because they are a representative sample of the letters received. Writers of LTEs are also often not demographically and politically representative of the public and are considered unusual because they feel so strongly about an issue that they are willing to make public statements. They have been characterized as a fringe element in society who use the opportunity to blow off steam about an issue.

However, some investigations have shown that LTEs do reflect public opinion on particular and often controversial issues, such as the decision by Arizonans to reject a Martin Luther King Day ballot initiative, or levels of support or opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment. While caution should be exercised in generalizing these findings, letters, on issues that generate strong interest and emotion, written to a broadbased number of publication outlets, can reflect the public's positions on that issue. Thus, under certain conditions, LTEs can provide an accurate gauge of public opinion on controversial issues and thus become a forum for deliberation.

The Internet poses new challenges for editors, as electronic mailing of letters can increase the volume of letters significantly, thus making selection even more time consuming for the editorial staff. Additionally, easy access to “model letters” at organizational Web sites set up a situation in which letters can now easily be submitted by scores of active citizens.

Letters to the editor are a salient piece of the American media. The responsibility for their contribution to public deliberation remains with both the editors and the public. The National Conference of Editorial Writers is committed to presenting a diversity of views on the editorial page. In the same manner, citizens have a responsibility to engage in public debate, including the use of LTEs. The media and citizens working together can create a place for vigorous democratic deliberation.

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