At a media outlet, an editor-in-chief is in charge of editorial content and department operations in general. Editors-in-chief work for periodicals, newspapers, online publications, book publishers, and television stations, among other places. Because she is the only person in charge, she is responsible for written facts, language, grammar, and punctuation. Her liability extends to video and audio images, drawings, pictures, and photographs. In some cases, the editor-in-chief, also known as the executive editor, may be in charge of the department’s budget.
All content is reviewed by the editor-in-chief before it is published. She must double-check the facts presented and ensure that the content and style are consistent and meet the publication’s standards. She returns the work for revision if any discrepancies are discovered. Good communication skills are necessary so that the executive editor can ensure that the necessary revisions are made and that her employee does not take the request personally.
Some of an editor-in-responsibilities chief’s are frequently delegated to junior editors or editorial assistants. This reduces her workload, but if inconsistencies or errors make it to the final copy, she, not the employee assigned to the task, is held formally responsible. Every day, she must make decisions about whether delegating certain tasks is worth the risk of negative consequences and time-consuming rewrites.
An editor-in-chief must occasionally discipline or terminate an employee for plagiarism or ghostwriting, in addition to regularly editing content that has already gone through a series of reviews. The most negative aspect of being an editor-in-chief is often regarded as this, along with outright rejection of substandard work. Because plagiarism and ghostwriting are so closely scrutinized, they can permanently harm a media company’s or publication’s reputation.
The editor-in-chief is sometimes expected to write an opinion piece or an editorial column for hard copy and online periodical publications. This type of writing usually, but not always, expresses a point of view that sparks debate among readers or the community at large. Topics and viewpoints are generally considered the publication’s point of view, which is sometimes determined by an editorial board. An editorial board is frequently made up of community members. Letters and e-mails from readers are encouraged in response to editorials.
The editor-in-chief is looked to for guidance as the organization’s leader. A person in this role is expected to lead by example for the rest of the team. She is expected to lead her staff with integrity and instill high journalistic standards in them.