The editorial board is a group of people, usually at a print publication, who dictate the tone and direction the publication's editorials will take.

Who's on the editorial board

Usually the editorial board consists of the editor in chief, publisher and other top newsroom personnel. Some newspapers include other personel as well.

What the editorial board does

Editorial boards meet on a regular basis to discuss the latest news and opinion trends and review editorials submitted by staff columnists. They will then decide which ones will appear in their newspaper's pages. When such an editorial appears in a newspaper, it is considered the opinion of that newspaper's editorial board.

Editorial boards will also usually select the editorial cartoons that will appear in the newspaper.

At some newspapers, the editorial board will also review wire service and syndicated editorials for inclusion on the editorial page.

Some newspapers, particularly small ones, do not have an editorial board, choosing instead to rely on the judgement of a single editor or other staffer or simply run editorials from all angles.

The Op-Ed page

Many newspapers also run an "op-ed" page, which means, literally, "opposite (of) editorial." This refers to the fact that this page is positioned opposite from the editorial page but does not mean the opinions on it are necessarily opposite of the editorial page.

This page includes editorials and opinions from other newspapers, wire services and syndicated columnists. It may also include statements of opinions from local government and civic leaders.

Editorials on this page may also be penned by the newspaper's own staff, but do not necessarily represent the views of the newspaper's editorial board.

At many newspapers, both the editorial and op-ed pages may also include a mix of letters from readers.