The Why, Who and How of the Editorial Page

Today's editorial page writers and editors face new challenges. This book shows how they can meet those challengesand become successful opinion writers in a changing world. It explores the social and political importance of editorials. It discusses the knowledge and skills editorial writers need to produce stimulating editorial pages, deal with publishers and news staffs, and avoid conflicts of interest. And it provides step-by-step guidelines for writing effective editorials.

Now in its third edition, The Why, Who and How of the Editorial Page has been thoroughly updated to reflect current issues and provide even more writing instruction and examples.

FEATURES OF THE THIRD EDITION

-- provides expanded instruction on specific kinds of editorials (Chapters 13 and 14) and other kinds of opinion writing (Chapter 16)

-- explores current issues, trends, and controversiessuch as group and corporate ownership, the rise of the Internet, and civic/public journalismand how they affect editorial writers and editors

-- provides additional instruction on writing opinion columns, cultural reviews, and broadcast editorials

-- incorporates current theory and research on persuasion and the mass media

-- illustrates principles generously with current editorials and excerpts, including more than 80 full length editorialsmany new to this edition

Kenneth Rystrom has spent 20 years in the newspaper business and 20 years teaching journalism. He wrote and edited editorials on the Register in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Columbian in Vancouver, Wash. He taught at Washington State University, University of Redlands and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of NebraskaLincoln, a master's degree from the University of CaliforniaBerkeley and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California.

Rystrom has been recognized for his contributions to journalism, journalism education and scholarship. For his contributions to journalism and journalism education, he was awarded a life membership in the National Conference of Editorial Writers, an organization for which he also served as president. For his scholarly work in journalism, he has four times received the Henry M. Grady Award. Upon his retirement, he was awarded professor-emeritus status at VPI&SU. He is now living in Florence, Ore.