The newspaper industry remains stubbornly resilient, even during a period of huge upheaval when its demise is frequently predicted, with readers drawn to their daily title for a range of reasons.
Traditional circulations are smaller but many people relentlessly follow the news, features and sports coverage, others cannot cope without their crosswords or horoscopes, and family notices are a staple for some papers – including this one.
One element which has not always received the attention it deserves is the letters to the editor section, offering an eclectic mix of views from dedicated and thoughtful – if occasionally eccentric and self-serving – voices, and comparing favourably to the wild west nature of social media.
The Times of London provides the best known example, with a place on the famous page still regarded as a singular accolade, while other newspapers around the world maintain their own versions of the classic format.
They include The Irish News, and trying to manage the various complex and often unexpected matters relating to our letters took up a significant amount of time throughout my quarter of a century as editor.
Perhaps the biggest dilemma involved pseudonyms, occasionally of a colourful nature, such as the classic ‘Catholic Mother of Ten’, which were previously in common use for generations, particularly during our regular stages of political crisis.
There were always concerns about allowing readers to make points on an anonymous basis, but the counter argument was that insisting on identification, particularly in a bitterly divided society, could have serious personal consequences.
While the consensus among successive editors was that an alias could be permitted, mainly to facilitate wider political debates, authors were still expected to privately offer their details for authentication purposes.
This was never an easy process, and might be open to manipulation, as an anecdote from Aoife Moore’s 2023 book The Long Game – Inside Sinn Féin indicated.
In an account which was undated, but appears to go back some decades to the height of the Troubles, Moore described how one Sinn Féin figure showed a friend a copy of a letter that he intended to send to The Irish News.
It was directly critical of republicans, as well as criticising IRA operations, and was signed with false details, with the amazed witness saying his associate explained that, after the paper published the letter, he would write a firm reply, but under his real name.
“He’d correct the errors in the first letter and stand up for the movement. It was all about making him look better,” said Moore’s source.
It’s impossible to independently verify the story, so it would not be appropriate to name the individual – unless of course he wishes to send us another letter in response – but it all demonstrates the importance of gaining a platform in The Irish News.
By the time the Good Friday Agreement was a little over 10 years old, I had a discussion with senior colleagues and we concluded that the era of pen-names in The Irish News should end.
The other two Belfast-based titles maintained a different policy, but we felt that an opinion carried much more weight if there was complete transparency about the source, with the only exception being for victims of abuse.
We also believed that, with those who have become known as keyboard warriors firing out unregulated tirades via Twitter/X, our approach would strengthen the credibility of The Irish News.
It is a guideline which has served us well, and we still receive enough letters to sustain a page up to four times per week, available in print and online.
Some are whimsical, while others are partisan, with the most compelling usually expressing anger over a specific issue and often representing a cold blast of reality.
Diversity is essential and we have always encouraged contributions which disagree with the editorial stance of The Irish News.
A disproportionate overall number come from men, a trend which women will hopefully take the opportunity to address in the coming year.
If anyone wants to agree or disagree with any of my conclusions, or make a completely different point, the editor will happy to hear from you.
He can be reached via letters@irishnews.com or by post at the Fountain Centre, College Street, Belfast BT1 6ET.
As long as the letters are legal, honest and in reasonably good taste, accompanied by a name, address and telephone number and kept to a maximum of 400 words, a discerning audience awaits.