president's letter: Coming pressures demand courage, The

WRITE TO YOU, my colleagues, with a sense of pride in our organization and a note of concern for a newspaper industry that will face greater economic pressures in the next several years.

NCEW enjoyed an outstanding year in 1998, largely because of the dedicated work done by the off`icers, board, committee leaders, and a host of volunteers. Membership is at a record level, regional conferences continue to blossom, international travel and education enjoyed their best year yet. Support for the NCEW Foundation grows. We continue to add new programs for professional development and training.

All around, there is cause for optimism. NCEW remains a strong, vital organization because of its members who are dedicated to excellence on their opinion and commentary pages. NCEW is essential to improving the quality of editorial pages.

Yet, as I leave the president's office, I feel the obligation to sound a warning about some problems that I think will soon appear on the horizon, and what I think can be done to overcome them.

It's necessary to talk about the economics of the newspaper business, for budget money, or lack of it, affects everything we try to do.

It's now clear that many newspapers could face large linage losses in classified advertising because auto dealers, real estate agents, and other businesses may decide to spend more of their ad budgets on the Internet. Newsroom operations are likely to be hard hit, but I think that editorial pages obviously will face more difficult financial times, too.

No one yet has a handle on many different ways in which newspapers effectively can translate their Web pages into new revenues. Those ideas will be forthcoming, though. Necessity will lead to progress.

Whatever happens, editorial pages must continue to provide leadership. As cutbacks occur, opinion page editors have to respond by re-emphasizing and reinforcing the strength and courage shown in well-written editorials that promote clear ideas and goals.

For those editors committed to sharp, focused debate, local editorials will continue to have great impact - particularly for medium-sized and smaller dailies. Editors of those newspapers can, and should, be the leaders in providing fresh thinking for problems in their communities.

Budget cuts may restrict virtually all aspects of newspapers, but we should not allow them to deter us from writing forceful editorials that win the day.

Editorial pages have a strong role to play in making our newspapers successful. Readers want to be stimulated by thoughtful articles. However much readers or adversaries may criticize them, editorials that take strong stands create more honest debates in communities.

It's not our job to be polite, though we should be civil; nor to choose harmony over the fullness of discussion. To the extent that we set sparks flying, be assured that more ideas, more information, more interest, and hence better outcomes will appear.

Most of us know, by now, that we have only a fraction of the answers that the tough issues facing our society require. But we also know that we can elevate the discussions by seeking the truth, honoring morality, uplifting goals, praising ethics, and encouraging diversity.

We talk often about the need for racial diversity in our newspapers and in our society, but we need also to promote diversity in the ways in which we think, so that our efforts bring more people to the discussion. The best opinion page editors know that to the extent that we are inclusive in looking for ideas and seeking answers, the richer is the treasure of ideas our pages produce.

All this is not just high-minded talk. Our work is honorable and important. But it is also essential that the publishers and owners of our newspapers understand that the editorial page can lead the way to better newspapers, better communities, circulation growth, and increased newspaper revenues.

We need to do some sermonizing at home, inside the newspaper, to make certain that the executives making the financial decisions understand the quality, character and, yes, marketability of editorial pages.

Excellence on the editorial page does bring revenues into the newspaper. High quality and good thinking also make for better newspapers and better communities.

This is the message we need to make clear. And, at the same time, within NCEW and within our newspapers, we should be working overtime to help talented young people with a love of the written word and an ability for clear, incisive thinking turn their skills to our editorial pages.

Young journalists need encouragement. We on the editorial page come by such a role naturally, for in the end, we are optimists. If we weren't, we wouldn't believe so deeply as we do that we not only can make a difference, we also can celebrate excellence.

I thank all of you in NCEW for a wonderful year, a terrific convention in Ottawa, and the honor of leading this organization. I look forward to many years of happy association with NCEW.

Copyright MASTHEAD National Conference of Editorial Writers Winter 1998
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