wfn.org | United Church of Christ New Launches New Editorial Features

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

> UCNews launches new editorial features

> Written by Staff Reports
> October 26, 2009

In an effort to continue the presentation of challenging topics and
stimulating conversation, United Church News has inaugurated a series
of new editorial features to appear on its news portal.

Sixteen contributors from around the UCC will make contributions to
the "Opinion / Editorial" section of the site, one being added each
week. The list of authors includes the Collegium, pastors in various
settings, Conference ministers and lay people.

"The news portal lets us rapidly present opinion pieces we didn't have
room for in the printed edition of UCNews," says the Rev. Gregg
Brekke, UCNews editor. "I asked 16 people to contribute on a rotating
basis ? I'm pleased they all said 'yes.' "

Brekke notes that anyone is welcome to write an opinion piece for
UCNews. He is working on guidelines to facilitate these electronic
submissions. "I'd like to see more unsolicited opinion articles ? but
it's really helpful if writers send us a query prior to writing the
entire piece," he says. "Even though we're entirely online, we're
still a journalistic publication. What may be appropriate for a blog
entry doesn't necessarily make for a good opinion article."

The shift to online news has also brought a shift in "letters"
submissions. "I used to receive 20 to 30 written or emailed letters
per issue of UCNews," Brekke says. "That number has gone to virtually
zero as people have begun using the 'comments' sections of online
articles to immediately voice their opinion on a topic."

"Again, where I had room for only six letters in the printed edition
of UCNews ? possibly two months after the original article was
published ? we now have unlimited commenting and an immediacy to the
dialog," he says of the online article comments. "We're not limited by
column inches or a print production deadline anymore. There is a real
conversation happening and no 'filter' of an editor."

Registered users of the UCC system, inclusive of Pilgrim Press and
myUCC accounts, can add comments to an article. Safeguards are in
place to prevent misconduct in comments including the ability for
administrators and other readers to mark a comment as inappropriate.

"Self-regulation is a powerful tool that we've incorporated into our
site design," says Dan Hazard, the UCC's web design and technical
editor. "The community of UCC users helps to decide and dictate what
is appropriate content and what is abusive."

"It's a new era for opinion and online dialog - it isn't just
hyperbole to say the internet changed everything," says Brekke. "The
democratization of journalism means that my job as editor is rapidly
evolving. It's exciting and challenging. It's also comforting to know
we're in the same boat as every other publication."