For more than a century, newspaper opinion sections have been used to influence lawmakers, community leaders, and the general public. Op-ed writing has been the heart of hundreds of legacy writers’ careers, such as the late Charles Krauthammer and longtime Washington Post columnist George Will.
But as news consumers tire of op-ed pages churning out redundant partisan drivel, Gannett is changing the model. The parent company of USA TODAY and 250 regional and local papers is slashing its opinion sections to improve the quality of dialogue and to prioritize local voices.
This means that politicians, business leaders, community activists, and everyday citizens are going to have to work harder to make their opinions worth publishing. Instead of repeating talking points from cable news or reacting to keyboard warriors on Twitter, people seeking to influence policies, laws, and voters will need to make their arguments more incisive, unique, and tailored to their target audiences.
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