A newspaper's editorials are that publication's voice. They should reflect the thinking of the newspaper's owner or editor on a variety of current issues important to its readers. They may relate to politics, economics, the performance of the mayor and the wisdom or follies of city council, or the triumphs or failures of the sports teams important to the community. They don't have to be ponderous; they may extol the beauty of a spring morning or the awe inspired by the "V" of migrating geese etched against the sky.

Editorials, by their nature, are opinionated. Editorials may praise or condemn, chide gently or thunder and road in protest. But it is imperative that they be accurate as to the facts. That means the editorial writer must research the subject exhaustively and weigh the findings carefully. It is important not to mislead the reader by distortion or untruths.

It is no sign of weakness for the editorial to admit that there are other points of view, that "on the other hand" there are persuasive arguments or extenuating circumstances. The objective is to help the reader to your point of view by the superiority of your logic and persuasion.

Since editorials are opinion, they do not necessarily have to be fair. But it is essential that they be factually accurate. Their gravest sin is dullness. Their greatest triumph is when the reader is moved to say, "Hey, that makes sense," or "What a beautiful piece of writing."

– Bill Hosokawa

In 1941, Seattle-born William K. Hosokawa (1915-) is a reporter. After the war begins, he is a prisoner. Hosokawa spends 18 months with other Japanese Americans in a Wyoming internment camp. He edits the camp paper, the Heart Mountain Sentinel, striving for press freedom. After the war, he works for 37 years at the Denver Post, eventually as editorial-page editor.