Newspaper Editor

Updated June 26, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

Anonymous

Tell us about your work -- what do you do? I am the news editor at Friday Newspaper in Oklahoma City. I am responsible for student news, church events and seniors and health news. I write front page stories, take pictures and layout and copy edit pages. What skills are needed? Strong written and verbal communication skills are the primary skills needed. Journalists must also be able to formulate appropriate questions, have an eye for details and have a strong command of the English language. What was your major? Mass communications and French How did you get started in your career? My advisor in college suggested that I intern at Friday the summer after my junior year in college. Then an opening came up about two weeks after I graduated, and I applied. What experience do you need in this job? At least one internship while you are still in college is helpful. I, personally, participated in three internships while I was in college to help round out my experience. Describe your typical workday: I typically answer a whole lot of phone calls from people wanting to know how to get some information in the paper. I interview at least two people a week for a story and I layout pages. What is the hardest aspect of your job? The hardest aspect is remaining friendly and understanding to the people you deal with -- the general public -- even if they are yelling at you, even if you don't feel good, or even if you are really busy doing something else. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? The most rewarding aspect of my job is when you actually do make a difference in someone's life by reporting news or the reality of the world around you. What are your suggestions for someone considering this field? I would suggest that they need to be willing to work long, irregular hours, and they must have confidence in themselves and in their work. Often times, people will question your work, and you have to be prepared to defend it or print a retraction. What you do is right there in black and white for everybody to agree with or disagree every day.
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