Daily Newspapers Ditching Opinion Pages

Financial strains are forcing papers to cut opinion pages at record rates.

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A growing number of dailies are cutting down editorial and commentary sections due to financial concerns, according to the Pew Research Center.

Membership in the Association of Opinion Journalists, an organization that representes editorial writers and columnists, has plummeted 55% to 245 members since 2006. Some papers are compensating by posting more editorials and columns online or launching opinion-driven blogs.

The Philadelphia Inquirer announced in September that it is cutting the number of pages allotted to editorials and opinions in half on weekdays. Other papers that have recently cut opinion pages and political cartoons include the Seattle Times, the Kansas City Star and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

[The Pew Research Center]