Information about the Brown University Op-Ed Service

What it is

The Brown University Op-Ed Service solicits faculty- or staff-written commentaries on a broad range of public affairs issues. The service is designed to provide a channel through which Brown faculty and staff can contribute their substantial expertise to the nation’s discourse on public affairs. In recent years, the Op-Ed Service has distributed more than two dozen articles annually.

What it offers

Editing. Editors who are clients of the service are looking for short, well-argued, highly readable articles. The Op-Ed Service editor works with authors to sharpen arguments, edit to an appropriate length, and ensure readability.

Production. Op-ed articles are formatted to include an author's note, a suggested title, and quoted excerpts to assist client editors in quickly grasping the argument. They are distributed with a cover letter and a postal-reply card.

Distribution. The Op-Ed Service has built a network of more than 300 editors at daily newspapers across the country. These range from small (The Fargo Forum) to large (The Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times). Newspapers are offered first-time rights in their circulation area, whether metropolitan or regional. Several outlets also distribute our articles on their own local or regional wires. Depending on a number of factors, the Op-Ed Service may query a few national publications before distributing an article through the national network.

Editors have the option of receiving submissions by mail, fax, e-mail or Web. All articles distributed through the Op-Ed Service are offered to newspapers free of charge, although a newspaper occasionally pays a small honorarium to the author.

Follow-up. Op-eds that are not time-critical are sometimes offered to weekly publications after primary clients have had a chance to use them. All are also posted to the News Service Web site. The News Bureau clipping service includes published op-eds in its periodic digests of newspaper and magazine articles about Brown.

Editors note:

To subscribe to the Op-Ed Service, telephone the Brown News Service at (401) 863-2476 or send an e-mail request to [email protected]. Let us know whether you prefer to receive distributions by mail, fax, e-mail or Web.