Editorial Hierarchy

Atop the editorial hierarchy ranks the editor or an editor-in-chief who plans and directs the day-to- day operations, supported by a team of news editors, chief subeditors, senior sub editors and sub editors. The news desk usually operates in shifts and each shift is headed by a chief sub, also called as ‘slot man’. Ideally, in a newspaper, it is the news editor who plans and directs page making while the chief sub helps implement his decisions. In a news agency, news editors chief sub editor look after the smooth functioning of the news desk. They plan and write ‘leads’ (updated version of developing stories).

Editor

Editor is the person who directs and supervises the editorial side of the newspaper. The primary role of the editor is:

1.      To manage the newspaper.

2.      Determines whether a submitted manuscript is appropriate for publishing.

3.      Selects expert reviewers and an area editor to evaluate the submitted manuscript.

4.      Renders a final editorial decision on each manuscript based on the recommendation, journal priorities, other similar manuscripts in process and related considerations.

5.      Communicates directly with the author and the review team.

6.      Schedule accepted manuscripts for publication.

7.      Balance workloads for the area editors and reviewers.

8.      Resolve any conflicts.

News editor

1.      Polishes up the language by removing rough edges from the copy and making it readable

2.      Fine-tunes the copy to the style of the newspaper

3.      Simplifies the language to make it reader-friendly

4.      Tailors story length to space requirements

5.      Correct factual errors

6.      Detects fraud or plant –a plant is falsehood in journalistic garment it promote somebody’s interest or discredit somebody

7.      Ensure balance and fairness and objectivity in the stories. In case of controversy, both sides get equal space

8.      Guard against legal trappings like defamation and copyright violation. The report stories should not defame a person by use of pejorative language.

9.      Rewrites and restructures stories if necessary. Normally sub editing(subbing) involves looking for errors in spellings and grammar

10. Implement the editorial policy of the newspaper like to maintain good taste, shun sensationalism, etc

Thus, a news editor is responsible for every word that gets printed. In a newspaper, newsroom plays the part of brain and soul of newspaper. Right from collection of news, to headlining and placing, happens in the newsroom. Newsroom is the pivot around which the newspaper revolves. All the reporters, correspondents, report to news editor, who is considered the head of newsroom would be found in the newsroom of any newspaper or news channel. Today the scene in newsroom is a bit modernized as everything is done through computers instead of the desk. Whatever the shape of the newsroom, it is indispensable in the production of the news stories.

Copy editors and production assistants, review copy for errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling and check the copy for readability, style, and agreement with editorial policy. They suggest revisions, such as changing words and rearranging sentences, to improve clarity or accuracy. They also carry out research for writers and verify facts, dates, and statistics. Production assistants arrange page layouts of articles, photographs, and advertising; compose headlines; and prepare copy for printing.

 Publication assistants

Who work for publishing houses may read and evaluate manuscripts submitted by freelance writers, proofread printers’ galleys, and answer letters about published material. Production assistants on small newspapers or in radio stations compile articles available from wire services or the Internet, answer phones, and make photocopies.

Sub-Editor

They are responsible for ensuring that the tone, style and layout of final copy match the publication's house style and target market. The role involves processing all the copy before it is published to ensure that it is accurate, makes sense and reads well. They also lay out the story on the page and may also be involved with overall page design. As with many roles in journalism, sub-editing is a demanding role that requires constant attention to detail within a fast-paced working environment. Work activities vary and can depend on the extent to which production and layout work falls within a sub-editor's remit. Only senior sub-editors would be expected to have much legal knowledge, but there are common activities that form much of the work of most sub-editors.

These include:

1.      Editing copy to remove spelling mistakes and grammatical errors;

2.      Rewriting material so that it flows or reads better and adheres to the house style of a particular publication;

3.      Ensuring that a story fits a particular word count by cutting or expanding material as necessary;

4.      Writing headlines that capture the essence of the story or are clever or amusing;

5.      Writing stand-firsts (brief introductions which sum up the story);

6.      Liaising with reporters or journalists to clarify facts and details about a story;

7.      Editing press releases or reports;

8.      Compiling routine information, such as tables of sports results or financial data;

9.      Checking stories to ensure they are accurate, do not break the law or go against the publication's policy;

10. Cropping photos and deciding where to use them for best effect;

11. Writing the captions for pictures;

12. Discussing concerns with editors;

13. Proofreading complete pages produced by other sub-editors;

14. Working to a page plan to ensure that the right stories appear in the correct place on each page;

15. Laying out pages and, depending on the nature of the role, playing a part in page design;

16. Adding last minute news stories;

17. Keeping up to date with sector issues, e.g. by reading related publications.

Sub-Editor at work

The sub is a versatile man in the newspaper. He knows something of everything and everything of something. He can be depended upon to handle any kind of copy-home, foreign, financial, and commercial, sports, etc. His sound general education and training will help him edit easily and efficiently all kinds of copy full of technical terms and complicated issues. The sub is saddled with his weapons-pencil, paste, and a pair of scissors. With a set of symbols he marks his copy for the printer. These symbols signify the alterations to be made in the news story. He gives a hurried look at the story and grasps the contents. He checks up whether an adequate lead was given by the reporter, answering the reader’s questions, who? When? What? Why? Where? He also finds out whether the most important feature or talking point has been given the first place in the lead, and the body of the story has been developed fully giving unimportant details at the end.

Copy selection and copy testing

After all news stories have been edited and headlined and finally composed, the process of making-up starts. It is done according to plan. The dummy is the guide. The sub-editor gives directions to finalize the make-up. He tries to display the most important news stories of the day above the fold, and almost all-important stories on the front page. His acquaintance with the art of printing, newspaper make-up and of writing; work in help of both to produce an attractive and readable newspaper. Indian newspapers usually have a set style of make-up, and as such things go smoothly unless big news of some magnitude breaks at the eleventh hour necessitating hurried conferences among the executive heads and quick decision to alter the plan. Before the chief sub-editor gives the print order he goes through the ‘blanket proofs’ quickly. He discovers that a story has been repeated, a headline has been placed on wrong side of story, a dateline has been misplaced, and he marks the blemishes with his blue pencil. The printer makes the necessary correction.

Summary

Editors decide what material will appeal to readers, review and edit drafts of books and articles, offer comments to improve the work, and suggest possible titles. In addition, they may oversee the production of the publications. The sub is a versatile man in the newspaper. He knows something of everything and everything of something. He can be depended upon to handle any kind of copy-home, foreign, financial, and commercial, sports, etc. His sound general education and training will help him edit easily and efficiently all kinds of copy full of technical terms and complicated issues

News and feature stories

Graphic artists prepare illustrations, charts, maps and other visual materials to help readers understand a story.

Copy editors

Copy editors backstop other editors, editing for style, grammar, accuracy, consistency, content, and organization and -- well, the list goes on. These editors also write cut lines and headlines. In a newspaper, newsroom plays the part of brain and soul of newspaper. Right from collection of news, to headlining and placing, happens in the newsroom. Newsroom is the pivot around which the newspaper revolves. All the reporters, correspondents, report to news editor, who is considered the head of newsroom would be found in the newsroom of any newspaper or news channel. Today the scene in newsroom is a bit modernized as everything is done through computers instead of the desk. Whatever the shape of the newsroom, it is indispensable in the production of the news stories.

A weekly newspaper or semi-weekly newspaper is a publication that is published on a non-daily schedule. Such newspapers tend to be smaller than a daily newspaper, such as one that covers a metropolitan area. While weekly newspapers sometimes cover metropolitan areas, many others cover a smaller territory, such as one or more smaller towns or an entire county.

Most weekly newspapers follow a similar format as daily newspapers (i.e., news, sports, family news, obituaries, etc.). Thus, the structure of the newsroom and the functions are also similar to the daily newspaper. However, the primary focus is on news from the publication's coverage area. The publication date of weekly newspapers varies, but usually they come out in the middle of the week. Some weekly newspapers focus exclusively on business news or sports.

However, this article focuses primarily on traditional weekly newspapers which cover such events as news and sports. As with larger newspapers, planning for a weekly issue takes much thought and planning to produce a coherent newspaper with clean copy. Like their daily brethren, good weekly newspapers are informative, contain vivid photographs, and provoke a wide range of reader emotions. Story assignments and/or ideas are often determined by a reporter's beat (which may include such areas as city or county government, schools and education and general news). Sometimes, an editor will use a ladder (a listing of what will go on a specific page) or a "billboard" (a master list of what each reporter's assignments are) to track content and staff assignments. At many newspapers, the editor will also contribute one or more stories, in addition to duties such as obtaining story ideas and laying out the newspaper. After a story is written, the reporter or editor will turn in his copy to be proofread (either by another editor or a clerk hired specifically to proofread stories and double-check facts). After a story is "cleaned up" (i.e., edited), the copy is placed in a queue for placement on the pages. A periodical is a "publication with its own distinctive title, containing a mix of articles by more than one contributor, issued at regular stated intervals of less than a year, without prior decision as to when the final issue will appear. This includes magazines and journals. Magazines and newspapers are commonly viewed as the most typical type of periodical (although technically newspapers are not classified as periodicals in library science). Other periodicals and journals produced by scientific, artistic, academic or special interest publishers are often subscription-only, costly, narrowly limited in circulation, and have little or no advertising. Thus a periodical is a publications issued in successive parts at regular intervals, including journals, magazines and newspapers. Current periodicals are ones that have arrived recently within the last six months to two years. In every newsroom be it daily, weekly or periodical, we hear a clamor from all levels for more interaction with the top editors. Reporters and line editors want direction, want to learn, want leadership from the top. Too often, they don't get it as the editors spend their days in meetings with other editors, making decisions whose underlying message - which may fit with some strategic goal of the newspaper.

Summary

The newsroom is the hub of the entire activity in a newspaper, news agency or a news channel. Called by different names, the editorial desk, editorial department or copy desk or news desk, it is the nerve center of the newsroom. Here the whole planning is done. However, in a news agency, the news desk edits and transmits stories to the newspapers or news channels, which further tailors these agency news stories.

Day-by-day, the newsrooms have encouraged specialization. Previously, an editor who was good at editing foreign news did nothing else. A good headline writer mostly wrote headlines. A writer with a flair for photo captions was stuck on a photo caption desk. A veteran learns to adjust to these management innovations, knowing they will pass. In 20 years, newsrooms, once bastions of stability, have come to thrive on change

Source: Internet