Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter Twelve Editorials, Opinion Pieces, Columns, Blogs and Cartoons 359 Your staff editorial may quote experts and authoritative sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support your position and to emphasize the importance of the issue. Because the reputation of your publication is behind all claims made in the editorial, use your experts carefully. If you write that “teenage birthrates have been going down, according to the CDC,” you had better be right, accurate and fair. The staff editorial uses facts and logic, not emotion. It assumes the audience is interested in the topic but does not yet have all the appropriate information to take a stand on the issue—or even to care about it. Staff editorials avoid satire and humor. Keep the editorial short and clear. Save humor and satire for columns and for editorial cartoons. Staff editorials end with a clear call to action on one issue. It is not enough to create a fl utter of emotion about how students need physical activity to cope with the stress of school. The voice of the paper knows what is needed. It says it clearly. The principal needs to rethink her position on intramural basketball and reopen the courts during the lunch period. The Shape of a Staff Editorial The staff editorial follows a set form. It begins with background information and concludes with a call to action. It should be so well- written and clear that people will read your conclusion to learn your position even when the body of the piece requires you to communicate dull-seeming technical, legal or policy information. Clear, tight writing will help your audience through the dry parts. The Opening The opening includes the background information your audience needs to understand the issue, as in this lead from the Los Angeles Times editorial “Occupy L.A.: Free speech is free” (Figure 12.3 on the next page). With the Occupy L.A. encampment dismantled, the city is left with the task of refurbishing the battered grounds of City Hall and tallying up the costs of the occupation. It identifi es why the issue is timely and the opportunity for action. Opportunities for action may include pending policy decisions, legal actions, laws being considered or an urgent problem you want your audience to consider. The anniversary of a landmark event may provide an opportunity for change. It indicates the editorial board’s position or suggests it, if the position requires a great deal of explanation. The Body The body includes a fair statement of the opposing point of view and a respectful statement of why it is wrong. It may include a different