Definition:
An editorial can be defined as a presentation of facts and opinions in logical, concise, pleasing fashion to entertain, to influence opinion, or to interpret significant news in such a way that its importance to the average reader becomes clear.
Objectives of an Editorial:
An editorial is a journalistic essay which attempts to inform or to explain, to persuade or to convince, and to stimulate insight on an entertaining or humorous topic.
Key Ingredients of an Editorial:
Like any other work of journalism, the editorial has an introduction, body, and conclusion. It is an objective explanation of the issues, especially complex issues. Editorials are a timely news angle of the prevailing news. It contains opinions from the opposing viewpoint that counter directly the same issues a writer is looking forward to addressing. The opinions of a writer are addressed in a professional manner. In a professional editorial, a writer does not criticize the personality but the attitudes. The substitute solutions are presented as a remedy by a writer. In the end, a sharp and solid conclusion is given.
Types of an Editorial:
There are multiple types of editorial; few of them are given below.
Editorials of Information/Interpretation:
These are the kind of editorials that provide information on a particular topic or interpret the issue which is difficult to understand for the general public. These editorials give detailed information on a particular topic. For instance, the information on the Coronavirus can be provided in the form of an editorial to make the general public comprehend it in a better manner.
Criticism or Persuasion Editorial:
In such editorials, criticism is inflicted upon any policy of the government or any wrongdoing of a person which affects the masses. Persuasion can also be done to make people think about an issue clearly. They can also be stimulated to behave in a certain way. In these types of an editorial, biases of an editorial board might also b included, e.g. the criticism on the role of the establishment in covertly supporting Joe Biden and impeding the campaign of Bernie Sanders in the intraparty election in the US.
Editorials of Appreciation:
Appreciation editorials are written to apprise the public about the positive happenings in the country or around the globe. These editorials can be written to commemorate the achievements of a personality in many fields like; sports, cinema, journalism, human rights activism and many more, e.g. writing an editorial to praise Joaquin Phoenix for an epic performance in Joker movie.
Entertainment Editorials:
Entertainment editorials are also famous in the field of journalism. The reason behind this fame is the blatant public interest behind the entertainment. This is the kind of editorial people want to read on an editorial page. The editorial board makes the decision to write such editorials to increase their readers. For example, writing an editorial on the Oscar-winning movie of the year.
One-Punch Editorial:
This is a short editorial written just to highlight only one point. It is also known as the Ten Second editorial. This kind of editorial is short, crisp, and leaves an everlasting effect on the readers. One-Punch editorials often flout many characteristics of an editorial because one cannot violate the supreme principle of this editorial by overwriting. An example of such an editorial can be apprising the issue of the Australian Bush fire.
