Newspaper or Magazine Editor
The Work
Newspaper and magazine editors manage the style and content of printed publications.
They may oversee the overall editorial direction of a publication, or they may be
responsible for an individual section.
As an editor you will:
commission articles
decide which articles will be included in the publication
decide how they will be laid out for publishing
consider submissions for inclusion from freelance journalists, photographers and
illustrators.
You will work with sub-editors, designers, production staff and printers to make sure that
publication deadlines are met.
On a local newspaper you may help to write and sub-edit the publication, while on larger
titles your role may be purely editorial. You could have responsibility for other matters
such as budgetary control, hiring staff and working with advertising and production
departments.
Entry Requirements
There are no standard entry requirements, although most newspaper editors have wide
experience in journalism. As an editor of a specialist magazine you would usually need
qualifications or experience in that particular field.
For details of how to get into journalism or publishing, see the Editorial Assistant,
Newspaper Journalist and Magazine Journalist job profiles.
You can also take degree courses in publishing, and combined degree courses with
publishing options. On top of the usual entry requirements, some courses may ask that
you have passes in specific subjects, particularly English. Check with your chosen college
or university for details.
See the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and Periodicals Publishers
Association (PPA) websites for further information.
Hours
You can expect to work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends. If you work for
a monthly publication or a specialist trade journal you will work regular office hours, with
some extra hours leading up to publication deadlines.
Your work will be mainly office-based, with occasional travel to meet clients and reporters.
Skills and Knowledge
a good command of English with strong writing and IT skills
planning, organisational and staff management skills
creativity and good visual sense
financial skills and commercial flair
some legal knowledge regarding the content of publications
an eye for detail
an understanding of target audiences
negotiating and decision-making skills.
Training and Development
You can develop your skills and knowledge by taking short or distance learning courses in
various aspects of publishing, provided by organisations like the Publishing Training
Centre.
As a senior editor, you could apply to join the Society of Editors. Membership will give you
access to advice and support, monthly news updates and regional networks and events.
More Information
Skillset
Focus Point
21 Caledonian Road
London
N1 9GB
www.skillset.org
Publishing Training Centre at Book House
45 East Hill
Wandsworth
London
SW18 2QZ
Tel: 020 8874 2718
www.train4publishing.co.uk
Society of Editors
www.societyofeditors.co.uk/
Skillset Careers
Tel: 08080 300 900 (England and Northern Ireland)
Tel: 0845 850 2502(Scotland)
Tel: 08000 121 815 (Wales)
www.skillset.org/careers
Publishers Association
29b Montague Street
London
WC1B 5BW
Tel: 020 7691 9191
www.publishers.org.uk
National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)
The New Granary
Station Road
Saffron Walden
Essex
CB11 3PL
Tel: 01799 544014
www.nctj.com
European Medical Writers Association
www.emwa.org
Periodicals Publishers Association (PPA)
Queens House
28 Kingsway
London
WC2B 6JR
Tel: 020 7404 4166
www.ppa.co.uk
Newspaper Society
www.newspapersoc.org.uk
Opportunities
Competition for jobs is strong in all areas of journalism, particularly on national
newspapers. You may find work with contract publishers who have a number of different
clients, or with large companies which produce regular publications of their own,
particularly in the retail or service sectors.
You could also work on a freelance basis, and overseas employment is possible.
With experience as a local newspaper editor you could move on to regional and then
national publications.
As a successful editor, you may then progress to become editor-in-chief of a group of
newspapers, or magazine publishers, although these positions are rare and depend on
the size of the publisher.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open
in new window):
Guardian
holdthefrontpage.co.uk
journalism.co.uk
ppajobs.co.uk
Press Gazette
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
Income
Editors can earn between £30,000 and £80,000 a year.
Experienced editors working for a national newspaper can earn over £80,000 a year.
Pay scales vary depending on experience, position, and the type and location of
employer. Freelance editors negotiate a set fee or daily rate.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
Related Profiles
Art Editor
Commissioning Editor
Editorial Assistant
Magazine Journalist
Newspaper Journalist
Sub-editor
Web Editor