Newspaper/ Magazine Editor
What is the work like?
Newspaper and magazine editors manage the style and content of written publications such as newspapers, magazines and trade journals. They may oversee the overall editorial direction of a publication, or they may be responsible for an individual section.
As an editor you would:
- 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 would 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.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
While there are no standard entry requirements, most newspaper editors have wide experience in journalism. As an editor of a specialist title 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 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.
What further training and development can I do?
You can take short and distance learning courses in various aspects of publishing provided by organisations, such as the Publishers Association and the Publishing Training Centre. For more details see the organisations' websites.
Where can I go for more information?
Queens House28 Kingsway
London
WC2B 6JR
Tel: 020 7404 4166
21 Caledonian Road
London
N1 9GB
Tel: 0808 100 8094 (Scotland)
Tel: 08000 121 815 (Wales)
Station Road
Saffron Walden
Essex
CB11 3PL
Tel: 01799 544014
London
WC1B 5BW
Tel: 020 7691 9191
Wandsworth
London
SW18 2QZ
Tel: 020 8874 2718
If you would like to discuss your career options with a learning adviser at learndirect Careers Advice, call 0800 100 900 or use our online enquiry form
Related profiles...
What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- 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.
What are the hours and working conditions?
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.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- 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.
What opportunities are there?
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 some large companies, particularly in the retail or service sectors which produce regular publications of their own.
You could work on a freelance basis, and overseas employment is possible.
Experience is essential for promotion. As a sub-editor you could become the overall editor of a title, and as a local newspaper editor you could move on to regional and then national publications.
As a successful editor you may also 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
www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk
www.journalism.co.uk
ppajobs.co.uk
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
Search
Contact an adviser
Email
Call back
or phone: 0800 100 900
Bilingual advisers available
Face-to-face advice
