OP-ED, a term meaning "opposite the editorial page," was inspired by Herbert Bayard Swope, editor of The New York Evening World in 1921, when he decided the page opposite the editorial page, routinely a catch-all for book reviews, obituaries, and society news, should include opinions of newspaper employees. Said Swope, "...nothing is more interesting than opinion, when opinion is interesting..."

In 1970, New York Times editor, John B. Oaks, expanded that vision to include opinions from outside voices, often differing from the paper's editorial viewpoint, creating a diverse public forum. Allowing a platform for a wider array of viewpoints quickly grew in popularity, engaging readers and encouraging debate.

Despite the advent of podcasts, soundbytes, and memes, today's op-ed, whether published in a small town paper or The New York Times, is more potent than ever, echoing digitally throughout cyberspace with audiences in the hundreds of millions.