Write to newspapers
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:
- Focus on one main point and try to get that point across well.
- Be aware of the typical letter length of your target paper.
- Be polite and calm.
- Use humour if appropriate.
- Be specific and factual.
- Sum up with a clear punchy sentence.
- Carefully check before submission.
- Remember to include your contact details (telephone and postal address)
- If the e-mail address you are using is not just for letters, make sure you label your message "letter for publication".
- 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
| Publication | web site | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Telegraph | dtletters telegraph.co.uk |
www.telegraph.co.uk |
| Financial Times | letters.editor@ft.com | www.ft.com |
| The Guardian | letters@guardian.co.uk | www.guardian.co.uk |
|
The Times
|
letters@thetimes.co.uk | www.thetimes.co.uk |
| The Independent | letters@independent.co.uk | www.independent.co.uk |
| Daily Mirror | mailboxmirror.co.uk |
www.mirror.co.uk |
| The Sun | letters@the-sun.co.uk | www.thesun.co.uk |
| Daily Mail | letters@dailymail.co.uk | www.dailymail.co.uk |
|
Daily Express
|
expressletters@express.co.uk | www.dailyexpress.co.uk |
Daily regional newspaper contacts
| Publication | web site | |
|---|---|---|
|
Belfast Telegraph
|
writebackbelfasttelegraph.co.uk |
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk |
|
Birmingham Post
|
post.letters@birminghampost.net | www.birminghampost.net |
Evening newspaper contacts
| Publication | web site | |
|---|---|---|
|
Evening Standard
|
lettersstandard.co.uk |
www.thisislondon.co.uk |
|
Edinburgh News
|
letters_enedinburghnews.com |
edinburghnews.scotsman.com |
|
Manchester Evening News
|
postbagmen-news.co.uk |
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk |
Sunday newspaper contacts
| Publication | web site | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday Telegraph | stletterstelegraph.co.uk |
www.telegraph.co.uk |
| Sunday Times | letters@sunday-times.co.uk | www.thesundaytimes.co.uk |
| Independent on Sunday |
letters@independent.co.uk | www.independent.co.uk |
| The Observer | letters@observer.co.uk | observer.guardian.co.uk |
| Sunday Mirror | mailboxmirror.co.uk |
www.sundaymirror.co.uk |
| Sunday Express | expresslettersexpress.co.uk |
www.express.co.uk |
| Mail on Sunday | letters@mailonsunday.co.uk | www.mailonsunday.co.uk |
Current affairs magazine contacts
| Publication | web site | |
|---|---|---|
|
The Economist
|
letterseconomist.com |
www.economist.com |
|
The New Statesman
|
lettersnewstatesman.co.uk |
www.newstatesman.com |
|
The Spectator
|
lettersspectator.co.uk |
www.spectator.co.uk |
Comprehensive listing
If you do not find your daily newspaper on the above list, please go to the Media UK 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.