Letters to the editor provide a forum for people to express opinions, give reactions, and make rebuttals. Letters to the editor should be brief, clear, to the point, and, above all, accurate. An inaccurate letter not only will create a bad impression but also may lead to a negative response from someone who is correcting your letter. Official letters should be on the letterhead of the organization and should be signed by the director, even though you or someone else may have drafted them. In a public debate you can ask opinion leaders or citizens who support you also to write letters to the editor.
Editors often gauge public opinion by the number of letters they receive.
Because many radio and television stations keep track of feedback from listeners, letters can be influential there, too, even if they are never mentioned on the air. You can write to radio and television station managers giving your reactions to the programs that they air or to suggest that they run more programs on family planning issues. Readers with questions about topics related to childbearing, reproduction, and personal relationships may know of no other place to find accurate information, or they may prefer to pose their questions anonymously. While many newspapers do not have the resources or expertise to produce a regular advice column on reproductive health, they may be willing to print regular columns prepared by family planning staff. You can suggest the idea to editors, present a list of topics that could be covered, and even provide a sample column.