We encourage you to share your strong opinions with us and with our readers.

We believe an open and free public forum is critical to any open and free society.

The editorial page of the newspaper is where opinions belong. News and editorials are not the same thing. The news is a reporting of the things that happen. Editorials are commentary, opinions and reflect points of view. We clearly distinguish between news and opinion by publishing opinion pieces, including the newspaper’s daily editorial, on the editorial page, clearly marked “Point of View.”

Each day editorial pages celebrate the freedom of speech and provide a redress of grievances guaranteed in the First Amendment.

Newspapers in the U.S. have a long and important tradition of political and social commentary — including political endorsements — that help define us and refine us as a nation.

In every edition of The Valdosta Daily Times, readers will find the Point of View page on 4A and on some days, a second Point of View page appears on 5A — these are our editorial pages.

The Point of View page includes:

 Our View

Each editorial page contains a position piece under the header Our Point of View, located on the left hand side of the page, the editorial represents the newspaper’s position on the topic.

Editorials can be of the watchdog variety, holding public officials accountable, while others are congratulatory, educational or intended as a public service.

The point of view is written by one of the newspaper’s editors and the perspective is determined by the newspaper’s editorial board that meets regularly to shape the opinions.

The Valdosta Daily Times editorial board includes our publisher, editors, staff members and two members of our community.

The current editorial board includes Jeff Masters, Jim Zachary, Dean Poling, Kristin Finney, Dan Friedman, Sandra Bennett, Laura Rogers, along with community members Celine Gladwin and Floyd Rose.

Every member of the editorial board may not agree with the point of view in every case, but the meetings of the editorial board help shape the opinions contained in the daily editorial.

Editorial Cartoon

To the right of the editorial at the top of the page is the daily editorial cartoon.

The cartoons are intended to provide strong commentary and often include sarcasm and irony as tools to express the cartoonist’s point of view.

Editorial cartoons, unlike the newspaper’s Our Point of View editorial, do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the newspaper.

The Valdosta Daily Times publishes editorial cartoons that are intended to make readers think and to invoke response.

We strongly believe in the value of political debate and celebrate the longstanding newspaper tradition of robust commentary in the form of editorial cartoons.

We publish cartoons that could be viewed as very conservative, very liberal and everything in between.

Their View

Newspaper columns on the Point of View page, unlike the editorial, do not reflect the newspaper’s views.

Columns only reflect the views of the writer or columnist.

Some of the columns are written by newspaper staff, some are syndicated and others are written by local columnists that submit to the newspaper on a periodic basis.

Some are political, some are serious, some humorous and others are intended to be educational.

Your View

– Letters to the Editor

The letters to the editor section of the editorial pages may be our favorite part. The letters section is your opportunity to share your opinions. The newspaper does not have to agree with your opinion or point of view. This is your free and open public forum. Letters contain opinions on issues that have public interest and are not a forum to air domestic disputes or consumer complaints.

The Valdosta Daily Times strongly encourages letters to the editor.

– Guest Columns

When readers have more to say than can be captured in a traditional letter to the editor, we offer the opportunity to write a longer column, generally including a photograph of the writer, and providing more space on the editorial page.

Public discourse improves, educates, refines and strengthens us all. While people may not always agree, we should always listen to one another and defend the rights of our fellows to say things with which we disagree.

We encourage our readers to share their opinions. We encourage letters to the editor and certainly do not require letter writers to agree with our point of view. Letters can be submitted to valdostadailytimes.editorial@gaflnews.com or mailed to P.O. Box 968, Valdosta, GA 31603. We look forward to hearing from you.