Strategies for Crafting and Sending a Piece for the Opinion Section
Syracuse University's media relations team plays a crucial role in facilitating connections between faculty experts and news media outlets. This dedicated team acts as a liaison, helping to connect faculty expertise with relevant journalists and media opportunities for op-ed placement. They also offer behind-the-scenes assistance to enhance the visibility of faculty thought leadership [3].
When considering authoring an op-ed, it's essential to focus on a clear, timely, and relevant issue that aligns with your expertise and current public interest [2]. A strong, persuasive argument should be made early, and the writing should remain concise and accessible to a general audience [2]. Compelling examples and data should be used to support your points, avoiding jargon wherever possible [2]. Offering a unique perspective or solution rather than merely stating the obvious is also key [2].
For those seeking reach, targeting top newspaper publications listed by circulation for your op-ed could be beneficial. The Op-Ed Project offers a site for access to regional and national publications. Syracuse University's media relations team can assist in the op-ed submission process and help identify appropriate outlets for the piece [3].
Some newspapers may ask for a high-resolution image to be included with the piece. It's important to note that each op-ed must be offered exclusively to one media outlet at a time [3]. Proper processing time must be taken into consideration when submitting an op-ed.
Here are the contact details for Syracuse University's media relations team:
- Keith Kobland: [email protected]
- Vanessa Marquette: [email protected]
- Ellen James Mbuqe: [email protected]
- Chris Munoz: [email protected]
- Daryl Lovell: [email protected]
Op-eds should ideally be between 600-700 words in length. Some of the top newspaper circulations, as per the latest data, are:
- The New York Times: 483,701
- USA Today: 1,621,091
- The Wall Street Journal: 1,011,200
- The Washington Post: 254,379
- The Los Angeles Times: 417,936
- The Chicago Tribune: 238,103
- The Boston Globe: 230,756
- The New York Post: 426,129
- The Star Tribune (Minneapolis): 251,822
- Newsday: 251,473
Remember, an op-ed is an opinion piece, ideally written on a timely topic. Submissions need to be exclusive to one media outlet.
References: [1] Syracuse University's media relations team website. [2] Journalism leaders' guidance on effective op-ed writing. [3] Syracuse University's media relations team's advice on op-ed pitching and submission.
- For those who wish to further their education and self-development, Syracuse University's media relations team can provide valuable assistance in authoring and submitting op-eds to top newspapers.
- Engaging with the Op-Ed Project and Syracuse University's media relations team (Keith Kobland, Vanessa Marquette, Ellen James Mbuqe, Chris Munoz, Daryl Lovell) can enhance your chances of getting published, helping to boost your thought leadership in a specific area.