Tracy Dishman, Editor, News-Leader
Letters to the Editor have long been the heartbeat of local journalism, serving as a vital forum where our community's voices come together. This section of our newspaper represents a cherished tradition of public discussion, where readers share their insights, concerns, and perspectives on issues that matter most to our region. Whether challenging our reporting, offering fresh viewpoints, or highlighting overlooked community matters, your letters enrich our publication and strengthen our democratic dialogue. Below, you'll find our Letters to the Editor guidelines to help ensure your voice is heard effectively.
Our guidelines:
· The word limit for a Letter to the Editor is 600 words. We prefer shorter letters, but we also understand people might have a lot to say. But we do know, from countless readership studies conducted by newspapers in the past, that readers prefer shorter, more concise items to read. We also put a priority on letters about local topics.
· Letter writers are permitted one letter every 30 days. Because of such an increase in Letters to the Editor, we need to ensure everyone has an opportunity to voice an opinion. By limiting letters to once every 30 days, it ensures more people can express their thoughts in a timely fashion. We want a diversity of opinions, not the same handful of people writing each week.
· In the past, we’ve permitted guest columns – Viewpoints – in our paper, and we still do. However, we no longer allow for lengthy Viewpoint columns (800 words or more) about national topics. In today’s hyper-partisan culture, there are plenty of places for liberals and conservatives to find talking points that match their perspective. We’re a local newspaper, so when possible, we emphasize local news, features, sports and opinion. We want to be your source for Nassau County, Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach and Yulee information and opinion pieces.
· Letters that personally attack a person will not be published. If you disagree with someone’s view, express that. But if a letter needlessly attacks the character of a person, that letter will not be published.
· The News-Leader requires all letter writers to include their name, address and daytime phone number for verification purposes. We only publish a name and the city in which someone resides. Anonymous letters are not permitted.
· We will not publish business pitches as letters. If you wish to tout your business, you should contact the News-Leader’s Advertising Department. They’ll be more than happy to help you market your business.
· We will not publish “form” letters. Some political action committees have people sign their name to a letter and send the same letter, again and again, to a newspaper for publication. No dice. Write your own letter.
· As always, letters might be edited for length, libel, clarity, accuracy, grammar and punctuation. Letters that require an abundance of editing will probably not be published. We believe our readers deserve a well-edited, clear and concise newspaper – and that includes the Letters to the Editor.
Thank you to all of our Letter to Editor writers who offer their time and energy to craft letters for the public. We don’t agree with every letter we receive, but we do agree you have the right to share your opinion. We’re fortunate and honored to be the mechanism for which your ideas reach the masses.
As always, if you have questions about Letters to the Editor or the Opinion page, you can reach Editor Tracy Dishman at tdishman@fbnewsleader.com or call 904-261-3696.