Last Updated: April 06, 2000
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Personnel
What reporters want from mid-level editors
By Gene Foreman
From one perspective, mid-level editors have the best editing jobs on
the newspaper. These editors — on the city desk, in sports, in features
— can conceive a story idea, assign it directly to a reporter, and personally
edit the finished manuscript. Not even the top editor influences the next
day’s paper so profoundly.
The daily reality is different, for these are the editors who must reconcile
the organization’s growing expectations with the organization’s finite
resources. The late Gary Blonston described theirs as “a job that comes
with inadequate time, staff and clout; a daily assault from above, below
and beside; and the implicit assumption that quality journalism nonetheless
must emerge.”
Last year, in a series of seminars intended to help midlevel editors
cope, panels of top editors and reporters offered their advice. The quotes
on these pages were gleaned from those panels and from an e-mail survey
of colleagues conducted by one of the reporter panelists.
Honesty
The best thing editors can do for their reporters is to be honest. This
is not to suggest that editors cheat or steal, or put lies in the paper.
But editors who are scrupulous about journalistic values can forget about
a promise to a staffer, or might shrink from being candid.
“Have the honesty to say what is hard in a compassionate way, the honesty
to say where stories and projects stand, the honesty to be candid about
the importance of a particular task.”
“Be like my mom — someone who is really enthusiastic, who genuinely
cares about me.”
“Be straightforward. You don’t always have to be polite; just tell us
what needs to be done.”
“You lose credibility when you sugarcoat reality.”
The way you treat people
Different reporters expect different treatment from their bosses. This
is about assigning or editing stories, not about administering a vacation
signup or work rules — situations in which everyone really is entitled
to equal treatment.
“Remember that reporting is an art and a science. Each of us who practice
it needs a different set of things from our editors. Notice that.”
“I expect guidance. Guidance is tough to deliver in a balanced way;
editors sometimes err by giving too much, giving too little, or giving
it unevenly.”
“Know what inspires a reporter and try to find a common ground between
a reporter’s inspiration and readers’ interests.”
“Being a reporter can be emotionally wearing. The editor needs to provide
comfort, solace, support and encouragement.”
“An editor shares your victories and defeats.”
Just as different reporters need different things from an editor, the
same reporter might look for different responses on different occasions.
“I may need someone to talk with about ideas. When I need a decision,
I will ask for one. Just because I am talking something over doesn’t mean
I need or want a decision. The editor may end up being a sounding board.
This is a valuable function, but for editors who need to think they have
decided something, it can be difficult.”
They have this advice on personnel matters:
“An ethical editor does not discuss reporters with other reporters,
even when the editor and the reporter have been friends. This creates a
climate of distrust.”
Reporters want their editors to be available.
“Just say no to the endless meetings.”
On editing
Although it may be an understatement to note that reporters are sensitive
to the way their copy is edited, their comments suggest that editors sometimes
forget.
“Respect a reporter’s style. If you’ve ever been in a room full of voice-from-nowhere
TV announcers, you know how dull that can be in contrast to a room filled
with many accents. Encourage people to be themselves.”
“If you pounce on every story and impose your style on it, the writing
will soon develop a certain sameness and timidity.”
“Don’t make it worse. Good editors are like good referees; you don’t
notice them.”
“I want to be there when changes are made. My name is on it.”
“Read stories as soon as possible. If there is a problem, get back to
us while we still have time to think and to get in touch with sources.”
“Editing input is most welcome early in the process. When the story
is written, it is like giving birth.”
Back up your staff
And the reporters want their bosses to take on the bigger bosses when
they think the decisions issued from the glass cages are wrong.
“Go to bat for the staff. A good editor fights for newshole, for good
play for the department’s stories, for raises.”
Foreman, a longtime editor at The Philadelphia Inquirer, is now a
distinguished professional-in-residence at the Penn State College of Communications.
