The conference was conducted in October on the campus of the University of Kansas. Bob Mong, vice chair of the ASNE Human Resources Committee, said it had been planned to carry forward the work of the two previous conferences.

"We just took the ideas from the last conference and looked for people who could speak to them," he said. "All the panelists were eager to come."

Team talk

Researchers reported on their studies of newspapers that had adopted teams. Findings, though mixed, were far from dire, and advantages included improvements in copy editors' lives.

One study found many copy editors grateful for better hours and more respect from co-workers. They also valued new opportunities to develop expertise in content areas. Researchers also found that the quality of the newspaper often rose, especially in enterprise stories, as copy editors improved development of stories, sidebars and graphics.

Change came at a cost, however, the researchers said. At some papers, copy editors' fate depended on team leaders, whose interest in their welfare varied. Some reported imbalanced workloads. The camaraderie of the rim sometimes was lost, and old hands were no longer available to advise inexperienced editors. Routine or deadline stories sometimes got insufficient attention.

Retaining some aspects of the old system - a slot editor or equivalent position, for example - can help papers maintain quality while moving into a new system. Going slowly allows copy editors to plan changes in their work. It's important to settle accountability issues and clarify responsibilities for the finished page, researchers said.

"If the traditional structure is fine for you, leave it," said Dick Thien of the University of Nebraska. "If you can't function in the tradition, think about change."

Leading through change

Copy editors need strong leadership, he said, to provide an effective working environment. Bill Elsen, director of recruiting and hiring at the Washington Post called it "an enormous achievement" for a copy chief to get a desk to run smoothly all day.

Jerry Sass Jr., copy desk chief for Portland's Oregonian, said allowing leaders to develop on the copy desk showed that management valued the copy desk. He said potential leaders should get manageable challenges to allow them to succeed. Other editors suggested developing leadership by involving members of the desk in solving problems.

Alex Cruden, executive news editor of the Detroit Free Press, said leadership could be built from the premise that the copy editor represents the reader.

"Aren't the people who write the biggest type the most important people in how our readers see the paper?" he asked.

David Brace, vice president/news of Ottaway Newspapers, said, "Every editor and publisher must look at the reward system, particularly for copy editing. That's another role of leadership."

One copy editor offered encouragement: "Copy desk chiefs succeed simply by raising issues."

Encouraging quality

"You can find young people with a lot of knowledge," Elsen said. "The mix ought to include them. Otherwise you have a copy desk that doesn't know who Tupac Shakur is."

Others emphasized the need to account for demographic shifts.

"Survey the tasks, skills, needs and interests of copy editors," Brace said. "Build the development program around their needs, and they will respond." Top editors should ensure that the desk remains committed to the paper's mission, standards and goals even under deadline pressure. He suggested setting aside fixed time, off deadline, to critique and teach.

Cher Wollard, copy desk editor of the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News, said, "Look out for the professional development of each member of the desk. Offer immediate feedback, or classes, or time as a reporter - whatever that editor needs."

Rewards come in many forms, she said, but public praise goes a long way. Cruden said top editors should hear about good heads, good catches and other accomplishments of copy editors as long as reporters weren't embarrassed.

Fernando Dovalina, assistant managing editor of the Houston Chronicle, said, "Point out the good publicly and the bad privately - unless it's a good lesson. But never with a name attached."

Anne Glover, assistant managing editor of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times, said she and her managing editor choose items for public recognition from submissions by copy desk chiefs, which throws a spotlight on the copy desk at least once a week. She said she has given her editor and managing editor pictures of the desk staff so they see faces as well as names.

Managing time and people

"Build relationships so that issues can be dealt with professionally," Wollard said. Bringing new assigning editors onto the copy desk for a short time fosters greater understanding, she said.

"To the reporter, the copy editor embodies a problem," Cruden said. "Editors should make time to pass along compliments or seek advice."

One editor said his paper had conducted a well-received seminar on copy editing for reporters. Another said a weeklong job swap had been productive.

Chemistry is crucial on the copy desk, Dovalina said. A reporter can grab the phone or go out on the street, but copy editors work next to each other eight or more hours a day. A good sense of humor goes a long way.

Several editors stressed that the copy desk should be included in e-mail lists and other memo routes. Earlier involvement in content development can minimize problems later, they said.

"We spend too much time on deadline trying to solve non-deadline problems," said Brace. "We no longer have time to clean up sloppy work. The reporting staff has got to take responsibility for this."

As for communication from the desk upward, persistence pays.

Hank Glamann, senior editor of the Houston Chronicle, said, "Don't stop knocking on the door just because it doesn't open the first time."

Larry Wilkerson, copy desk manager of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, added, "Don't presume they don't know how rough it is just because they don't do anything about it. And don't try to convince them you can't do it when you're doing it."

Wilkerson said copy editors should identify their problems, document them, develop creative solutions and pitch the solutions, rather than the problems, to upper management. Editors suggested trying internal solutions first - including rescheduled deadlines.

At the bell

Higginson is assistant to the executive director of ACEJMC and a program associate at the University of Kansas school of journalism.