Editorial is a written piece of opinion that influences the thoughts and viewpoints of the readers. It is a part of journalism and differs from news articles in terms of its objective of providing information with an aim to persuade. It is usually written on significant events and developments in the world that can affect the lives of people.
It should contain the opinions and perspectives of the editorial board members of the newspaper or magazine. This type of article is sometimes referred to as an Op-Ed (Opposite Editorial).
The editorial should be clear and engaging, as well as provocative enough to encourage reader response and debate. In addition to the author’s perspective and viewpoint, the editorial should include supporting evidence and cite references. This will lend credibility to the piece.
There are four different types of editorial content in journalism. These include: interpretation, criticism, praising and editorials of appreciation. An editorial of interpretation focuses on explaining the significance and background information of an event or development in order to help readers understand it.
A criticism editorial highlights the issues and shortcomings of a person, decision or action in an effort to influence the reader’s opinion. A praising editorial is the opposite of criticism and aims to commend someone or something for their efforts. An editorial of appreciation is similar to a praising article, but it focuses on an event or accomplishment that the editor believes is significant and deserves recognition.