Times modifying letters policy for election seasons

Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Times Staff Report

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The Brazil Times has updated its policy regarding Letters to the Editor for the upcoming election season.

The following is a list of items that are required of readers that submit Letters to the Editor:

* Letters on topics of general public interest are welcomed,

* All letters must be signed with the writer(s) first and last name. The name of the writer(s) will be published,

* All letters to be considered for publication must include the name of the town where the writer lives and a daytime telephone number where the writer may be reached during normal business hours,

* Letters must be 250 words or less,

* Letters must be mailed, faxed or e-mailed. The mail address is 100 N. Meridian St., Brazil, 47834. The fax number is 812-446-0938. The e-mail address is news@thebraziltimes.com, and

* Only one letter each month from writers who submit more than one letter a month will be considered for publication.

Regarding letters about candidates and other election issues:

* Letters from candidates will not be published from the time a person files for office until the day after the election, unless the letter is about a non-election topic and considered of unusual importance to the public dialogue regarding topics of current topical interest,

* Letters about local candidates will not be published. Local candidate issues may be addressed through advertising. Please consult with an advertising representative for guidelines and restrictions, and

* Letters about election issues will be published until the Tuesday before an election. In the week prior to an election, only rebuttals to previously published letters will be considered for publication. Any letter received after 5 p.m., Thursday, prior to an election will not be published. No letters about election issues will be published on the Sunday or Monday prior to an election or on Election Day.

These guidelines notwithstanding, the editor will make the final determination on the suitability of all letters submitted for publication.

Comments

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A few thoughts for the Times staff...I wonder if policy is going to be put into in effect with regard for electronic comments as well or just those submitted as "official" letters to the editor in print form of _The Brazil Times_ only?

While I realize that online comments to various articles are a real pain to preview by Times staff, may consider a similar policy for electronic comments or at least monitored comments during election period as anonymous smears are a lot easier to make when responsibility does not have to be taken and once made, even if later refuted or removed, does damage to the candidate. Conceivably even the candidate could achieve "free" coverage by comments made to the on line version of the publication. Just yesterday a public group of officials, some of which are up for re election, was called lazy by a reader via electronic comment. Admittedly this was a very minor slur but worse could occur....

-- Posted by Jenny Moore on Thu, Aug 28, 2008, at 7:30 AM

Letters from candidates will not be published from the time a person files for office until the day after the election, unless the letter is about a non-election topic and considered of unusual importance to the public dialogue regarding topics of current topical interest,

I feel that candidates do not get enough press on their issues, the paper should keep people informed. Private mailings are expensive. Sadly, there is little for candidates to do but pay for their opinions. I hope we see more leneincy on this rule.

In regard to Jenny Moore's comment. I disagree.

There are blogs, commentary all over the internet, which is very nice to see comments from people who do not wish to be known, and does lend more freedom of thought. Yet they can say yae or nay to any issue without feeling oppressed to give their name. If worse could occur, that is life. I like the commentary part the best and its why I read online.

-- Posted by Pearl2083 on Thu, Aug 28, 2008, at 5:27 PM

I find this very interesting since some people in the community has had a letter to the editor every week since the remonsterance was filed. Why wasn't this enforced before now? I don't understand how one person could get approx 4 letters in the paper in a month. I think that it sould have been held to 1 per month.

-- Posted by survivingmotherhood on Fri, Aug 29, 2008, at 7:54 AM