In newspapers, a streamlined workflow, characterised by minimal editorial intervention, benefits both reporters and sub-editors, ultimately enhancing the publication’s quality.
Effective journalism hinges on the production of clear, accurate, and audience-relevant content, and an important part of the process is the relationship between reporters and sub-editors in producing that content.
Sub-Editor:
Sub-editors play a crucial role in ensuring content aligns with the publication’s standards and audience expectations. Their primary functions include:
- Verification and accuracy: Confirming factual accuracy, including names, dates, locations, and quotations.
- Style and consistency: Enforcing the publication’s established style guide, encompassing grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and tone.
- Clarity and conciseness: Structuring and refining copy for optimal readability and comprehension.
- Audience alignment: Ensuring content resonates with the target readership and aligns with the publication’s editorial mandate.
- Layout and presentation: Adapting copy to fit designated space and ensuring visual coherence.
Reporter:
Reporters can facilitate the sub-editing process by adhering to the following principles:
- Thorough fact-checking: Verifying all information before submission, including double-checking names, ages, and sources. Explicitly marking verified information. See: Fact-checking and adding context.
- Accurate quotation and attribution: Ensuring precise transcription of quotes and providing clear source attribution. See: Accuracy.
- Style guide adherence: Familiarising themselves with and consistently applying the publication’s style guide.
- Structured narrative: Employing the inverted pyramid structure, placing the most critical information in the opening paragraph and organising subsequent paragraphs in descending order of importance. See: The essential elements of a news story.
- Concise and focused writing: Delivering clear and succinct prose, avoiding unnecessary jargon or verbosity. See: Clarity is as important as accuracy.
- Anticipating reader interest: Tailoring content to the publication’s target audience and assessing the appropriate length and depth of coverage.
- Availability for clarification: Remaining accessible to sub-editors for queries and revisions until the publication deadline.
- Detailed contact information: Including multiple forms of contact information on submitted content.
- Post-publication analysis: Comparing submitted copy with the published version to identify and learn from editorial changes.
Editorial mandate:
Publications operate within specific editorial mandates, which dictate their content, tone, and target audience. Sub-editors and reporters working on such publications need to understand the focus and audience which might include:
- General news: Providing accurate and comprehensive reporting on current events.
- Investigative journalism: Holding those in power accountable and exposing wrongdoing.
- Niche publications: Publications that focus on a specific subject, such as science, medicine, or industry, and cater to a specialised audience. These publications have a defined and focused readership.
- Mass-market publications: Publications that aim to reach a broad audience, often focusing on entertainment, lifestyle, and general-interest topics. These publications must cater to diverse reader preferences.
The value of sub-editing:
Many sub-editors will have worked as reporters in the past. They will be expected to understand the pressures reporters work under. Reporters can gain valuable insights into the sub-editing process by:
- Shadowing or working as a sub-editor: Observing and participating in the sub-editing process to understand its demands and challenges.
- Analysing editorial changes: Examining published copy to identify and understand the rationale behind editorial revisions.
A collaborative relationship between reporters and sub-editors fosters a more efficient and effective journalistic process. By understanding and respecting each other’s roles, they contribute to the production of high-quality, audience-focused content. This collaborative efficiency also allows for the minimisation of errors, and the maximisation of the quality of the final product.
