Media Advice: Letters to the Editor There are a number of
reasons why you might want to write a letter to the editor of a
newspaper or broadcast program. You might wish to raise an issue
which you feel has gone under-reported; respond to an article or
to notify them of any errors they may have made. Whether dealing
with the editor of a local free paper, or the BBC News, there
are certain principles which it pays to follow. Firstly, it is
absolutely vital that your letter is well written, professional,
and does not come across as a rant. A badly written, ranting
letter will do your campaign no end of trouble - undoing any
good relationships that you may have built up with various
journalists. It is worth noting that there are two different
types of 'letter to the editor'. The first is (rather obviously)
a personal letter written to the editor; the second is a letter
written for publication. There are slightly different guidelines
to follow: - If you are writing directly to the editor, then try
to find out his