Assignment for the second semester
Subject - ‘Editing In Print Media’
Paper 06
Topic- Necessity, principles and process of editing
Guide- Dr. Vinod Pandey
The generation of 21st century enjoys digital media 24 hours, thanks to the economic data packs and the rolling Internet connectivity. Every need of entertainment and information can be satisfied with just a flick of the finger. The latest graphic media has captured the soles of the youngsters to the bones. The high definition video games not only entertain but also becomes a platform to interact with the machines and man simultaneously. The social media have been tremendously successful in allowing the much desired expressiveness of the young blood. No matter, what type of the content, it sells; the only condition is it must entertain. This platform has long ago banished any such word as ethical from its techno-emoji vocabulary. Most of the much popular social media platforms, be it Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or Instagram, all have made the user the chief in command of his/her content.
The world of print media, however still abides by the selective approach in terms of content. Although newspapers and magazines are not popularly known by the name of social media, but the style of presentation is more social than that of social media. Starting from the news gathering to news production; layout, news-advertisement ratio, and the attack on the major governmental policy through constructive editorials, all comes under the authority of editor of the newspaper. It is the editor by whose name the newspaper gets published everyday.
An editor is the captain of his newspaper. The way a ship requires a lot of mechanism in order to run in the sea, a newspaper too requires complex coordination of various departments and activities. The editor makes sure that all the connected departments finish the task assigned to them before the deadline. For instance, a lapse in coordination between advertisement and news department could lead to the delay in publishing of the newspaper. Therefore all the departments of news making- Editorial department, Advertising department, Circulation department, Publishing department, and Administrative department- are held directly responsible to the editor. Many people believe that an editor’ task in newspaper is to write editorial and be the Supreme voice in news selection. This is however quite diminutive view to editor especially in the present context.
Every newspaper has particular hierarchy in terms of the required duty for every employee to perform. To better understand, one can organize them in the following hierarchical ladder.
• Publisher
• Editor-in-chief
• Managing Editor
• Assignment Editor
• Copy Editor
Let us now look at some minute tasks of sub editors and copy editors which require extreme concentration. A copy editor has to design layout for the news which is assigned to him. He/she also has to give suitable headlines to the news which require an acute sense of news and linguistic competency. Modern day editors also must have good understanding of photograph and graphics as hardly any prominent newspaper go without them. All this leads to the constant micro editing on the part of sub editors.
‘Unease lays the head that wears the crown’, the editor has to be constant vigil and keep his back ready for any inadvertent result of news publication. The Gate keeping model of communication lays great emphasis on the role of editors in the news making business. According to this theory, the editors decide if the particular news should be published or thrown in the bin. Thus, the editors are in the command position of news dissemination.
Renowned English writer George Orwell said that, ‘Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed; everything else is public relations.’ His words help in understanding the serious business of editor ship. A good editor always has some fundamental principles regarding life. He is a visionary, a principled figure who is greater than life itself. For instance, the founding father of The Indian Express newspaper, Ramnath Goenka, whose newspaper still run by the tag line, ‘Journalism of Courage’. The tag line shows the temper of its proprietor Goenka who did not like to bow down before the bureaucrats. For the sake of generalization, one can have some principles elaborated.
• Honesty: it is the basic requirement in any civil society. A man/woman first should be honest as a human being, let alone a newspaper editor. Newspapers play a crucial role in building up of a civilized society by providing truthful information to the readers. The editor must professionally be honest while in selection of news. If he is dishonest figure then the newspaper too will negatively impact the mass audience of the nation.
• Vision: A true editor will have a vision for his newspaper. He must lead his newspaper in the direction of mass welfare. The readers of newspapers are not always able to understand the deeper implications of the governmental policy, so the editor helps them better learn by warning them in advance through his editorials.
• Inclusiveness: A society is made up of varying strands of people. An editor must know the difference between the powerful and the powerless. He should protect the interests of the downtrodden, meanwhile giving proper space to the powerful too.
• Fearlessness: Journalism is called the forth pillar of democracy. A timid editor can never make bold decision in regard of the continuance of some story. There are many incidents of journalists losing their life while telling the deaf a deaf and blind a blind on his face. But it is what true media stands for. The onus rests on the shoulder of the editor to protect his\her journalists and writers when they are writing against the powerful people of society.
• Democratic attitude: The emergence of the press itself was due to give voice to the people, the mass and not for the rulers. Therefore, democratic ideas must fountain up from the news stories, columns, features and editorials in the newspapers. A good editor should always remain uninfluenced and unamused to the world of politics, personal likes and dislikes. One thing, he must know that he/she is the representative for the mass, not agent of the government. The editor must unveil all the disguised attacks of authority on the Democratic constitution of the nation.
To sum up in short, the work of editor is much complex and highly responsible. It is both a social service and professional which needs efficiency and smartness to survive in the industry. Therefore, the editor must synchronize the contrasting events and aspects of news making process.
From- Alpeshkumar Makvana
First Year, Second Semester, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad.
Subject - ‘Editing In Print Media’
Paper 06
Topic- Necessity, principles and process of editing
Guide- Dr. Vinod Pandey
The generation of 21st century enjoys digital media 24 hours, thanks to the economic data packs and the rolling Internet connectivity. Every need of entertainment and information can be satisfied with just a flick of the finger. The latest graphic media has captured the soles of the youngsters to the bones. The high definition video games not only entertain but also becomes a platform to interact with the machines and man simultaneously. The social media have been tremendously successful in allowing the much desired expressiveness of the young blood. No matter, what type of the content, it sells; the only condition is it must entertain. This platform has long ago banished any such word as ethical from its techno-emoji vocabulary. Most of the much popular social media platforms, be it Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or Instagram, all have made the user the chief in command of his/her content.
The world of print media, however still abides by the selective approach in terms of content. Although newspapers and magazines are not popularly known by the name of social media, but the style of presentation is more social than that of social media. Starting from the news gathering to news production; layout, news-advertisement ratio, and the attack on the major governmental policy through constructive editorials, all comes under the authority of editor of the newspaper. It is the editor by whose name the newspaper gets published everyday.
An editor is the captain of his newspaper. The way a ship requires a lot of mechanism in order to run in the sea, a newspaper too requires complex coordination of various departments and activities. The editor makes sure that all the connected departments finish the task assigned to them before the deadline. For instance, a lapse in coordination between advertisement and news department could lead to the delay in publishing of the newspaper. Therefore all the departments of news making- Editorial department, Advertising department, Circulation department, Publishing department, and Administrative department- are held directly responsible to the editor. Many people believe that an editor’ task in newspaper is to write editorial and be the Supreme voice in news selection. This is however quite diminutive view to editor especially in the present context.
Every newspaper has particular hierarchy in terms of the required duty for every employee to perform. To better understand, one can organize them in the following hierarchical ladder.
• Publisher
• Editor-in-chief
• Managing Editor
• Assignment Editor
• Copy Editor
Let us now look at some minute tasks of sub editors and copy editors which require extreme concentration. A copy editor has to design layout for the news which is assigned to him. He/she also has to give suitable headlines to the news which require an acute sense of news and linguistic competency. Modern day editors also must have good understanding of photograph and graphics as hardly any prominent newspaper go without them. All this leads to the constant micro editing on the part of sub editors.
‘Unease lays the head that wears the crown’, the editor has to be constant vigil and keep his back ready for any inadvertent result of news publication. The Gate keeping model of communication lays great emphasis on the role of editors in the news making business. According to this theory, the editors decide if the particular news should be published or thrown in the bin. Thus, the editors are in the command position of news dissemination.
Renowned English writer George Orwell said that, ‘Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed; everything else is public relations.’ His words help in understanding the serious business of editor ship. A good editor always has some fundamental principles regarding life. He is a visionary, a principled figure who is greater than life itself. For instance, the founding father of The Indian Express newspaper, Ramnath Goenka, whose newspaper still run by the tag line, ‘Journalism of Courage’. The tag line shows the temper of its proprietor Goenka who did not like to bow down before the bureaucrats. For the sake of generalization, one can have some principles elaborated.
• Honesty: it is the basic requirement in any civil society. A man/woman first should be honest as a human being, let alone a newspaper editor. Newspapers play a crucial role in building up of a civilized society by providing truthful information to the readers. The editor must professionally be honest while in selection of news. If he is dishonest figure then the newspaper too will negatively impact the mass audience of the nation.
• Vision: A true editor will have a vision for his newspaper. He must lead his newspaper in the direction of mass welfare. The readers of newspapers are not always able to understand the deeper implications of the governmental policy, so the editor helps them better learn by warning them in advance through his editorials.
• Inclusiveness: A society is made up of varying strands of people. An editor must know the difference between the powerful and the powerless. He should protect the interests of the downtrodden, meanwhile giving proper space to the powerful too.
• Fearlessness: Journalism is called the forth pillar of democracy. A timid editor can never make bold decision in regard of the continuance of some story. There are many incidents of journalists losing their life while telling the deaf a deaf and blind a blind on his face. But it is what true media stands for. The onus rests on the shoulder of the editor to protect his\her journalists and writers when they are writing against the powerful people of society.
• Democratic attitude: The emergence of the press itself was due to give voice to the people, the mass and not for the rulers. Therefore, democratic ideas must fountain up from the news stories, columns, features and editorials in the newspapers. A good editor should always remain uninfluenced and unamused to the world of politics, personal likes and dislikes. One thing, he must know that he/she is the representative for the mass, not agent of the government. The editor must unveil all the disguised attacks of authority on the Democratic constitution of the nation.
To sum up in short, the work of editor is much complex and highly responsible. It is both a social service and professional which needs efficiency and smartness to survive in the industry. Therefore, the editor must synchronize the contrasting events and aspects of news making process.
From- Alpeshkumar Makvana
First Year, Second Semester, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad.
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