Many readers of La Voz have been confused about the editorial and news stories of the newspaper. We have received comments saying that our articles are biased. Some readers have confused news stories with editorials and opinions. There are several ways to distinguish between news and opinion stories.
News articles are straight to the point. The focus of a news story is detailed information the reader needs or wants to know. Examples of news stories include: De Anza issues, current events, political conflicts, consumer information for students, and stories that show patterns in issues that are relevant to the De Anza community. News stories should be useful and are meant to educate the reader. Writers do not include their thoughts and beliefs in news stories.
Visually, news stories are justified, which means the edges of the story are even and appear in a straight block format. News stories do not include photographs of the reporters Examples of news stories published in La Voz include protests on campus, overview of controversial issues, De Anza Student Body elections, and cultural celebrations.
On the other hand, opinion stories have several purposes; they may try to persuade readers to vote one way, to act on something, to change their views on an issue, join a cause, or fight an injustice. Not only does the writer express a strong opinion, but also he or she takes a side on a news issue and provides facts to defend the opinion. Viewpoints reflect the beliefs and ideas of the writer and not necessarily the entire newspaper staff. The opinion stories are personal views, but the story does relate to news and is hopefully, relevant to the reader.
Unlike news stories, opinion stories are not justified. The right edges are uneven. The page will include words such as “opinion,” “viewpoint,” “editorial,” “letters to the editor,” and “forum” which will indicate these stories are from our individual or group’s point of view. Past opinion articles published in La Voz include opposing viewpoints on propositions, personal experiences on different issues, and responses to previous editorials. It is our intention to publish news stories covering all sides of an issue in a non-biased format, and also publish opinion pieces which reflect the views of our readers.
What should you do if you disagree with a view given in La Voz? Write a letter to the editor. That is your right and we want you to use it.
