Write to newspapers

Letters page

Letter pages

From time to time there are news stories or articles that relate to the use of measurement. The letter pages of newspapers can be good places to get your points across. Key points to make when writing to a newspaper are:

  1. Focus on one main point and try to get that point across well.
  2. Be aware of the typical letter length of your target paper.
  3. Be polite and calm.
  4. Use humour if appropriate.
  5. Be specific and factual.
  6. Sum up with a clear punchy sentence.
  7. Carefully check before submission.
  8. Remember to include your contact details (telephone and postal address)
  9. If the e-mail address you are using is not just for letters, make sure you label your message “letter for publication”.
  10. If you are writing to more than one newspaper, do not use identical wording (Some papers, e.g. The Times, insist on exclusive use of any letter).

Many letters are not considered because of length, emotionalism or lack of contact details.

Feedback on style

Newspapers are often a reflection on society and hence measurement unit usage is frequently as confused as anywhere else. It is worth giving positive feedback on good usage as negative feedback on poor usage.

Feedback can sometimes be through the letter pages. A few newspapers have a Reader’s Editor who can be addressed directly on style. Some newspapers and magazines publish their own style guide – you can comment on the guide itself and, if good, whether it is being followed.

Letter contacts and websites for major daily national, daily regional, evening, Sunday and current affairs newspapers and magazines are given below.

Daily national newspaper contacts

Daily regional newspaper contacts

Evening newspaper contacts

Sunday newspaper contacts

Current affairs magazine contacts

Comprehensive listing

If you do not find your daily newspaper on the above list, please go to the media.info website that provides a comprehensive listing.

If you find that any of the above links do not work, please use our feedback form to let us know.