Editor-in-chief

An editor in chief is a publication's editorial leader, having final responsibility for all operations and policies.

Description

The editor in chief heads all the departments of the organization and is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members and managing them. The term is often used at newspapers, magazines, yearbooks, and television news programs. Some publications have no overall chief editor, such as The New York Times, which has an executive editor over the news pages, and an editorial page editor over opinion pages.

The term is also applied to academic journals, where the editor in chief ultimately decides whether a submitted manuscript will be published. This decision is made by the editor in chief after seeking input from reviewers selected on a basis of relevant expertise.

Typical responsibilities of editors-in-chief include:

Editing

Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible and film media used to convey information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, and many other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate and complete work.

The editing process often begins with the author's idea for the work itself, continuing as a collaboration between the author and the editor as the work is created. As such, editing can involve creative skills, human relations and a precise set of methods.

There are various editorial positions in publishing. Typically, one finds editorial assistants reporting to the senior-level editorial staff and directors who report to senior executive editors. Senior executive editors are responsible for developing a product for its final release. The smaller the publication, the more these roles overlap.

The top editor at many publications may be known as the chief editor, executive editor, or simply the editor. A frequent and highly regarded contributor to a magazine may acquire the title of editor-at-large or contributing editor. Mid-level newspaper editors often manage or help to manage sections, such as business, sports and features. In U.S. newspapers, the level below the top editor is usually the managing editor.