Remember those trick birthday candles? You know -- the ones you blow out -- only to look away and then realize they are burning away again. What a prank.
That's the way Sun-Star letters to the editor feel to me right now. For a few months -- since last June -- readers have been mostly quiet on that front.
But, during the last few weeks, electrons have been flowing into my inbox at an increasing rate. In a couple cases, I'd say the candle reignited.
Tom Frazier
There are three issues that keep popping up like zits on a teenager:
Writers don't stay within the 200-word limit.
Writers feel editing changed the meaning of their letter.
Writers are not notified when their letters aren't published.
A few months ago, the Sun-Star decided they would call or e-mail letter writers when their letters went unpublished. They would not elaborate but would give them a short reason why the letter wasn't published.
Disagreement with editing decisions has caused the most agitation. Most of the time, but not always, it is a direct result of overlength letters.
Another procedure that was adopted after the last spell of difficulties was to get the writer's buy-in for editing changes.
To quote Keith Jones, the editor who handles letters, "If I have a problem with a letter of any sort, I will call the writer. After talking with the writer, we can usually work out some accommodation."
Many letter writers tell me that has not been happening.
Maybe it's time to reinvent the wheel.
George Moore, a recent letter writer, feels the 200-word limit should be repealed. He says, "I think your word limit is too restrictive, given the complexity of some of the issues in our society and government today."
For comparison, the Sun-Dog column normally runs around 600 words -- or the approximate space of three letters to the letter.
Several readers think more space should be give to the Perspective pages and letters to the editor. One, Chad Orton, even outlined what he's willing to forgo: Horoscopes (astrology) and star gossip (Stargazing.)
Moore, among others, says that he'd prefer not to have severely edited letters published, stating, "If I had known the letter would be butchered, I would have withdrawn it. Better to not be published than to be embarrassed by a nameless editor at the paper."
Perhaps Moore's comments should be taken more seriously than others -- he has an extensive journalism background. He has a B.S. in journalism, an M.S. in mass communication and has been a reporter, copy editor, news editor, managing editor, executive editor and publisher. In Montana, he was executive director of the Montana Newspaper Association
He is also a former managing editor of the Sun-Star (2001).
What's your pleasure, readers?
Do you think the status quo is adequate?
If the procedures described were religiously followed, would that satisfy you?
Should the editor who edits each letter be identified?
Should the 200-word limit be increased?
Or, should there be both "regular" letters to the letter and "super" letters to the editor with a higher word limit?
Would you like to see the Perspective page increase in size even though you'd have to give up something else?
If so, what should go away?
Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting the Sun-Star will jump through hoops to implement any of these suggestions. But maybe, just maybe, if readers speak out in unison, something can be done.
Then again, maybe we don't need to reinvent the wheel, but just put some air in the tires.
Tom Frazier writes Sun Dog and can be reached at sundog@promessage.com.
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