Profiles of Editor and Sub-Editor

Slide 1

Job of an Editor
The Job Newspaper editors have the daily responsibility of deciding which news stories are printed in the paper. Long before the paper is published, the editor assigns reporters to cover the news, checks for accuracy and fairness in the newspaper's articles and writes headlines. It is not unusual for a newspaper editor to have worked as a journalist or proofreader before becoming an editor. Skills RequiredA newspaper editor should have excellent oral and written communications skills. It is expected that editors also have a strong interest in current events, the ability to work well under daily deadlines and experience with desktop publishing programs.
ba50d886-690e-4377-bd57-9d6f627c2da0 (image/jpg)

Slide 2

An editor polishes and refines, he directs the focus of the story or article or movie along a particular course. He cuts out what doesn’t fit, what is nonessential to the purpose of the story. He enhances the major points, drawing attention to places where the audience should focus. Many fields make use of editors—film, video, magazine, newspaper, blog, and book, both fiction and non-fiction. A task common to all is to ensure that the product they produce is the best it can be in the time available and with the resources available.Editor in chief or editor at-large—Responsible for the type of content produced by their newspapers or magazines, the look of the product, and the nature and number of stories/articles to be written.Managing editor—Works under the most senior editor. Directs writers to particular stories. May write some of the stories. May be responsible for one section of a newspaper (business or style or local news) or magazine. May write headlines or may delegate that task to others.Copy editor—Responsible for checking article facts and ensuring that an article matches in-house style guides. Also checks spelling, grammar, and punctuation. May also suggest word changes to keep the newspaper or magazine from being sued. May arrange layout of articles and sidebars. Copy editors might write headlines.

Slide 3

A sub-editor checks over the stories which journalists write, ensuring correct grammar and that it meets 'house style' guidelines, and fits them into the available column space in the newspaper, magazine or website where they are being published. The Work You could be: checking over stories (copy) for spelling, grammatical or factual errors rewriting and shortening it, as necessary, to suit the newspaper’s 'house style', language level and to keep within the word count making sure that stories are accurate and do not break any copyright or libel laws checking up with the author or journalist on any queries writing 'standfirsts' (introductions) to the stories and creating catchy headlines which fit within the space helping with the design and layout of the pages and adding last minute news stories cropping (trimming) pictures and writing captions for them compiling tables of information, such as sports or election results adapting the layout of print copy for the website.
Job of a Sub-Editor 

Slide 4

Pay The figures below are only a guide. Actual salaries may vary, depending on: where you work the size of the company or organisation you work for the demand for the job. Starting salaries for sub-editors can be from £15,000 to £23,000 a year. Senior sub-editors can earn £25,000 to £40,000 a year. Chief sub-editors for national newspapers may earn from £50,000 a year. Conditions On a weekly paper you will work mainly during the day and probably at weekends. On a daily paper you will work shifts, including nights. Working late to meet newspaper deadlines can be stressful. You will work on a computer in an open plan, perhaps crowded, office along with the other sub-editors.
0f1f5d55-b9f1-4ecd-bfb3-7ec6bcc93a14 (image/jpg)

Slide 5

Entry is very competitive. There are no formal entry requirements, but most people have a Higher National Certificate (HNC), Higher National Diploma (HND) or degree in a journalism subject. You can find a list of accredited journalism courses, some of which are in Scotland, on the website of the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). Entry requirements for an HNC or HND journalism course are 1-2 Highers plus some subjects at National 5. A pass in English is normally required. Entry to a degree course in journalism requires 4 Highers including English or Media. Many degree courses also require a portfolio of your work. You need accurate spelling and knowledge of the rules of grammar and punctuation. You need knowledge of relevant computer programmes, such as Quark XPress. Familiarity with design or graphics programmes, such as Photoshop or InDesign, is helpful. To enter a journalism career, you normally need paid or unpaid practical experience; you can get this through student or local journalism or by contacting newspapers directly. You may have to do several work experience placements without pay before earning your first wage as a journalist.
Getting into  Sub-Editing 

Slide 6

Publishing 
Acquisitions editor—Finds new authors and promotes writers he thinks will be profitable for the publisher. Often must fight to get an author accepted by the publishing house because he’s competing with other editors to bring in new authors. Writers and agents typically submit manuscripts to the acquisitions editor. The acquisitions editor, especially for fiction, may follow a manuscript from submission to publication, suggesting plot-level changes to bring the story in line with his/the publisher’s vision for the product line.Developmental editor—Helps a writer develop a book from idea or outline or initial draft. Makes sure the book will meet the needs of the publisher and its readers. Will work with the author through any number of drafts. Often works with writers of non-fiction. Guides the writer in topics to be covered in or omitted from the book.Developmental editor—Helps a writer develop a book from idea or outline or initial draft. Makes sure the book will meet the needs of the publisher and its readers. Will work with the author through any number of drafts. Often works with writers of non-fiction. Guides the writer in topics to be covered in or omitted from the book.
Acquisitions editor—Finds new authors and promotes writers he thinks will be profitable for the publisher. Often must fight to get an author accepted by the publishing house because he’s competing with other editors to bring in new authors. Writers and agents typically submit manuscripts to the acquisitions editor. The acquisitions editor, especially for fiction, may follow a manuscript from submission to publication, suggesting plot-level changes to bring the story in line with his/the publisher’s vision for the product line.Copy/manuscript editor—(These may be two different positions or one that combines elements of both or the same position called by a different name.) Ensures that the manuscript meets in-house style standards and corrects grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Checks facts and may suggest different words. Verifies headings, statistics, data in graphs, and footnote entries. For fiction, the manuscript editor will check for consistency and logic, and will read with the needs of the audience in mind.Proofreader—Compares one version of a manuscript against another to eliminate errors from the newest version. The proofreader is the last person to check a manuscript before publication. A proofreader is not an editor in the traditional sense, but because of a crossover between duties, an editor may be the proofreader.

Slide 7