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Genres, opinion and the opinion section

Separate news from editorials, columns, debate, letters and reviews with genres, labels and a dedicated opinion section.

Last updated 14 October 2026

Opinion requires a clear separation from news reporting. In Aeon News, genre says what kind of text an article is, while the category says which section it belongs to. A column about culture is genre Column in the section Culture.

The genres

GenreUse it for
NewsReporting. The default.
AnalysisNewsroom analysis that explains rather than reports.
CommentA short opinion from the newsroom on current news.
EditorialThe newspaper’s institutional opinion.
ColumnA recurring personal column.
Opinion pieceA debate article from an outside contributor.
ReplyA response to an opinion piece.
LetterA reader’s letter.
ReviewReviews of books, films, music, performances and more.

Choose the genre in Genre & writers in the article editor. Readers see the genre as a label near the headline. When the writer is external, guest formats are marked automatically, for example “Guest column” or “Guest analysis”.

Presentation follows the genre

Each genre suggests a byline presentation and drop cap: a column gets the columnist presentation and a drop cap, a letter a simple signature. The suggestion can always be changed per article. See writers, bylines and columnists.

The opinion section

The opinion section, at /opinion/ in English and Swedish (/mielipide/ in Finnish), gathers editorials, the columnists, debate, letters, comment and analysis on one page. Each genre also has its own page in the same style.

The opinion section on the Aeon Daily demo site with debate, letters and comment, beside latest news.
The opinion section on the demo site.

Disclaimers

A section can carry an opinion disclaimer explaining that views belong to the contributor rather than the newsroom. Set it on the category under Posts › Categories.

Letters and debate policy

The platform makes presentation consistent, but the editorial rules are the newsroom’s: names, editing, fact checking and anonymous submissions. Pseudonyms in letters are not added to the writer register; they stay in the text as written.

Checklist

  • Is the genre correct and visible near the headline?
  • Is the writer’s role or relevant interest clear, if necessary with Title in this article?
  • Is the section disclaimer present where it is needed?
  • Do headline and image avoid imitating news reporting?
  • Are comments and moderation appropriate for the subject?