We deliver you the Sentinel as one piece, whether in print or online. If you’re reading this in print, just pretend that the sheets of paper folded together are one piece.
Regardless of how you read the paper, it has five elements: Paid advertising, news, the Sentinel’s editorial, my personal opinion column and opinions from our readers. Each has different rules and standards. Each is essential for newspapers that want to serve their community.
Paid ads are pretty simple: The advertiser, be it a business or an individual or a government agency, buys space in the newspaper to tell readers what it wants, whether to sell a product or service or announce a meeting or construction bid.
We don’t edit ads, except for spelling, though we make sure the type is readable and the advertiser’s name stands out.
The news is the real purpose of the Sentinel. We strive to report news of interest to our readers and to do it fairly, without bias and without our opinion. News is what is happening or happened or will happen and why it happened. It’s not for a reporter or editor to slant the news or selectively pick or ignore facts to influence what readers know.
We write the news after reading reports, researching history, interviewing people involved in the news and then summarizing it into a readable story — not an encyclopedia. Yes, that means some judgment in what to include and what to leave out, but those calls are made without favoritism, without an agenda.
The opinion page, which is always Page 4 in the Sentinel, is where you will find the Sentinel’s editorial position on an issue, my publisher’s column, and, in some weeks, opinion columns or letters written by members of the community.
The editorial is a statement by the newspaper intended to encourage the community to action, advocate a position or support the work of others, such as legislation at the state or federal or municipal level. And while editorials are the newspaper’s opinion, they should reflect the priorities of the community, such as editorials calling for improved state ferry service.
The publisher’s opinion column is different: It reflects my views as an individual, the same as talk radio hosts or bloggers express their personal views. I work hard to provide a mix of politics, economics, history, humor and storytelling in my columns. If I had put this much effort into my college writing classes, I would have earned better grades.
I intend my column to educate, entertain and inspire readers, not please every reader. The columns are my views of the world, not a reflection of the views of Wrangell. I realize many will disagree with my opinions, which is OK. I don’t even agree with myself a lot of the time.
And when readers have opinions that they want to share, we make space on Page 4 for them. Of course, no charge. We’ll edit for style and helpfully talk with you if we have any questions about statements of fact, but we will not question your opinion. That is yours to hold, not ours to mess with.
We ask that you keep your opinion columns to no more than 400 to 500 words, though shorter is better. Nothing profusely rude, nothing excessively personal, and no crude insults.
I know people don’t type out letters like they did generations ago. But maybe the next time you have an opinion, sit down at the keyboard, send it to us and we’ll share it with the community.
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