How to Prepare for a Successful Editorial Board Meeting

  1. The purpose of editorial board meetings is to establish a good relationship with your local newspaper. They will not agree with all of your positions, but they should know who you are and respect your work.
  2. Another important goal of editorial board meetings is to encourage the newspaper to write editorials in support of arts, culture, your nonprofit arts groups, etc. The editorial board also may decide to publish a Q&A based on their discussion with you at the meeting.
  3. Call the senior editorial writer at your local newspaper a week to 10 days in advance. Tell the writer you would like to talk with the editorial board to discuss your organization’s issue priorities/project/campaign, etc. Time the meeting around your project or key action in the Legislature.
  4. If the editor is not interested in an editorial board meeting suggest that you send a press packet on the issue/event that you would like to discus and make a follow up telephone call. The editorial writer may be interested in a less formal discussion over coffee, lunch, etc.
  5. Find out what position the newspaper’s editorial board has taken on your organization’s issues and read any articles carefully before the meeting.
  6. Before the meeting, arm yourself with useful facts and figures. Don’t be intimidated. They want to hear what you have to say.
  7. Limit the number of people you take to the editorial board meeting (no more than three). Reconfirm the meeting one day before. Include your non-profit’s president with the issue or project expert in the meeting.
  8. Prepare an agenda for the meeting. List the points or issues you would like to cover. Distribute the agenda and fact sheets on your group’s campaign or issues at the beginning at the meeting. Explain why you are there and why your issue, project is important. Invite questions from the editorial board members during your presentation.
  9. Make a follow up call after the meeting to thank the editorial board for their time and determine if they plan to write an editorial. Don’t be pushy, though.