Afterschool Alliance

Your local newspaper's opinion pages are an important, but sometimes overlooked, outlet for the afterschool message. Generating positive editorials, letters-to-the-editor, opinion columns, "op-eds" and cartoons should be part of your overall media strategy - after all, they're read by opinion leaders in your community, elected representatives, reporters, your colleagues, the families your program serves, and many others.

In recent months, dozens of newspapers around the country have carried pro-afterschool messages on their opinion pages. If your local newspaper hasn't yet joined the chorus, or if it's only singing meekly in the background, don't sit back and wait, take action. Here's how.

THE BASICS

Newspaper opinion pages usually have five elements:

EDITORIALS [TOP]

Most newspapers' editorials are written by editorial writers, not reporters. These writers are part of the newspaper's "editorial board," usually made up of the editorial page editor, editorial writers with responsibility for specific issue areas, and other ranking members of the newspaper staff.

Editorial boards meet frequently with representatives of local organizations, elected officials, candidates, and anyone else they think might be able to inform them about issues that matter to their readers. The meetings generally last about an hour, and they are usually the occasion for a vigorous give-and-take between the editorial writers and their guests (and sometimes among the editorial writers themselves).

Newspapers rely on advocates to propose meetings. Here's how to proceed:

The character of the meetings depends on the newspaper. Sometimes the editorial page editor will direct the meeting, and sometimes she or he will start the conversation and then let the conversation flow on its own. Simply be prepared to talk about afterschool, and let the hosts at the newspaper worry about the format.

PLACING AN OP-ED [TOP]

The space Opposite the Editorial page (op-ed, for short) is usually reserved for columns from local and national writers, and for opinion articles submitted by readers. Occasionally newspapers will seek out op-eds from outside writers, but in general they rely on submissions to fill out their op-ed pages.

The process is simple. Most op-eds are 500 to 750 words. Count the words in a couple of published op-eds in your newspaper to see the length the paper prefers. Then write to match.

Remember that op-eds are opinion articles, not press releases, so they should express an opinion on the topic. In this case, that's easy. If your subject is the need for expanded resources for afterschool programs, make your argument. Some guidelines for writing op-eds:

Submit the piece with a short cover note referring to your conversation, reminding her or him of the topic, noting how many words are in the piece and including a telephone number where the signer of the article can be reached. (Newspapers sometimes call the signer to confirm that the piece is legitimate, or to request revisions before publishing it.) After submitting the article, wait two or three days, then call the op-ed editor back and ask if she or he has had a chance to review it and to decide whether to use it.

COLUMNISTS AND CARTOONISTS [TOP]

In your effort to get your message out through newspaper opinion pages, don't overlook columnists and cartoonists. Start this outreach by noting who writes columns and publishes cartoons in your newspaper over a two- or three-week period. Note when they write, and what they write about. Also, look at the byline to see how the writer or cartoonist is described.

Once you've done that, review your notes. Scratch from your list any columnists or cartoonists whose work comes from a syndication service, like King Features or Creative Syndicate. They write for a national audience and your local message isn't likely to make it into their columns. Also scratch from your list columnists and cartoonists whose work is always and entirely about national issues. They, too, are unlikely prospects. Check the cartoonists' signatures, usually in the cartoon itself, and see if they are syndicated or with an out-of-town newspaper. If the cartoonist is local, keep them on your list; if not, do not waste your time.

What's left on your list should be local columnists and cartoonists whose work is about local issues. Next, set priorities by seeing who has shown interest in education issues, or in children, juvenile crime, and so on. Then try to get a gauge on their likely views on the issues to see if they are likely to be supportive.

Next, write or call the columnist or cartoonist to let them know about the problems afterschool programs are having finding startup funding in the community, for example. If you write, send backup materials. If you call, be prepared to answer questions and to send follow-up material supporting your message. Also, be sure to let them know if there's a significant date coming up - graduation time, back-to-school, or a local Lights On Afterschool! event - so that they'll know that anything they write would have the most impact around that time.

If you say you'll send additional materials, or promise anything else, be sure to act quickly before the memory of your conversation fades.

Then give them some time to take in the information you've sent and publish, if they choose to, when they see fit. After a few weeks, if something significant happens that you think they'd want to know, drop them a note, send them an email, or give them a call.

LETTERS-TO-THE-EDITOR [TOP]

Often the easiest way to break into the opinion pages is with letters-to-the-editor. In many cases, letters are your best shot at getting published, if only because newspapers print more letters than op-eds each day. And letters-to-the-editor are widely read and well worth submitting.

Letters are the most appropriate vehicle if the newspaper publishes something that gives you the chance to respond - a news story, editorial, op-ed, cartoon, column or even another letter-to-the-editor. The response need not always be contradictory. Often you can get a letter published that amplifies a point brushed over in the original article.

Letters-to-the-editor pages differ from newspaper to newspaper in significant ways. You'll need to take a look at your own newspaper to get a feel for what they do and don't publish. Check for the word count of published letters, and see if they are always in direct response to something already published. (Some newspapers use their letters-to-the-editor space as a sort of community free-for-all; others see it as a dialogue about things the newspaper has published.)

Once you've determined your newspaper's general approach, look for the right opportunity. If your paper seems only to publish letters that respond to things they've published, read every story you see that relates in the slightest way to afterschool issues with that in mind. Look for issues that the story or opinion piece failed to fully explain, or got wrong. Consider who from among your allies should sign the letter - a program director, parent, community leader, etc. Then send a letter, addressed to "Letters-to-the-Editor," to the newspaper. Some papers take letters by fax, email or on their website; others do not. Check your newspaper's policy.

Finally, remember that whatever you're responding to is merely the occasion for your letter; it shouldn't limit what you have to say. So start your letter with a quick response to the article and then move on to make your points. (For a sample letter click here.)

Good luck!