Lesson for Publishing MSM Op-Eds

Yesterday, the editor of journalism’s leading trade newspaper, Editor & Publisher, was kind to publish my column, “Is the Media Covering Iraq On the Cheap?” (See footnote)

It is important to note that the editor of Editor & Publisher is very and outspokenly critical of President Bush and of the U.S. engagement in Iraq. In the finest tradition of journalism, which liberal and conservative critics bemoan receding, the editor of journalism’s leading trade newspaper saw a worthwhile and documented point of view in my piece even though not necessarily (I don’t know) his own and critical of the major media. Similarly, the two interviewees in my piece are highly critical of the Iraq war, and know I’m a supporter, but graciously gave of their time.

I’ve, over the years, had op-eds in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, and elsewhere in what’s called the MSM. I am not known for hiding my views under a basket, and haven’t. Whether these papers’ editors disagreed with my views, they saw something worth being read.

Yesterday’s column was selected as worthwhile by RealClearPolitics.com, and its core point recognized by leading blogs like Instapundit.com and others. That core point was that, independent of and even regardless of views of the Iraq war, a major cause of inadequate journalism about it – overfocus on the bombings around Baghdad and underfocus on the more positive rest of the story – is the cheapness of the MSM to commit enough and trained reporters there, while less costly local stringers are used.

Meanwhile, several emails I received from knowledgeable bloggers and friends criticized my piece for what it left out: reporters being safer and seeing more by being embedded than wandering on their own, or additional insurance solutions.

Although those points, quotes and documentation, and others, were included in my original draft, and were edited out, the fault isn’t the editor’s but mine.

Unless a major established name, or in a venue that runs extended pieces, the pretty hard-and-fast rule of op-eds is they must be between 600-750 words, and closer to the lower. My original draft was 1162 words, and my submitted draft 936 words. The published piece was 807 words. I agreed to the edits, as their removal did not distract from the core point, even though they may have added to it.

Last week I wrote a semi-snarky blog post, “What are you saying, Bruce?” in which I said:

A columnist friend says that I know too much and try to fit that information and its nuances into my posts. Columnists focus on only one point, and I cover many.

Then I proceeded to write two-sentence positions on 9 different major topics. One doesn't have to go to that extreme, but brevity and succinctness are important.

Myself and others are too often critical of the MSM for its slants or omissions, and too often not self-disciplined in our writing – or considerate enough -- to break through.

484 words!

Footnote: For some reason, in a later edition, the title was changed to “Is the Press Covering the Iraq War on the Cheap?”; My original title was, “More, Not Less, Media Needed in Iraq.”