What Does an Assistant Editor Do?

by Lisa Finn, Demand Media Google

An assistant editor is responsible for supporting the editor-in-chief or editor-at-large of a newspaper, magazine, radio program or website, for example. His role is supportive, but also authoritative in that he can oversee his own editorial section, such as international news, feature stories or sports. Working as an assistant editor means juggling projects, prioritizing deadlines and meeting the demands in a fast-paced environment so written copy is always accurate, original and relevant.

Gives Assignments

An assistant editor is responsible for thinking of new, original content on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. This can be a fresh twist on an old story or a new story that needs uncovering. He holds brainstorming meetings with staff writers and connects with freelance writers to assign articles or projects. Along the way, he checks in to make sure the appropriate sources are consulted, stories are taken in the right direction and facts are accurate.

Edits Articles and Materials

On deadline, a writer or reporter turns an assignment into the assistant editor for review. The assistant editor reviews the written piece for sense, accuracy, readability and content. If an article seems thin and the writer needs more sources, for example, the assistant editor will make suggestions on whom to interview. During this phase, he also questions facts and makes sure the writer can supply the proper documentation to support his findings. At the final stage before production, this person is responsible for proofreading to ensure that spelling and syntax are correct.

Chooses Supporting Material

In the layout stages of editorial copy, an assistant editor decides what additional material is needed to support a written piece. For example, a graph, illustration, chart or picture might help the reader better understand a concept. Either he instructs the writer to find the proper materials or he does the research and supplies the article with additional sources. Sometimes this is a section at the end of a piece that tells a reader where to go for additional information or is contained in a sidebar that gives additional, supportive information that is relevant to the article.

Writes and Interviews

Oftentimes an assistant editor will write articles for his section. There might be a topic he is particularly interested in or has connections for great sources. He researches, interviews and compiles information to create an article or newscast that is engaging, informative and factually correct. The editor-in-chief reviews his piece.

Understands New Media

Utilizing new media to support an article or idea is also the responsibility of an assistant editor. His media duties can include everything from utilizing well-known applications, such as Twitter and Facebook, in addition to other more specific social media outlets in order to draw attention to an article or cause, for example. In addition, an assistant editor chooses or approves video clips that accompany online articles. His search engine optimization, or SEO, team helps write copy so that readers can effectively find topics of interest and a publication's advertisers can be easily visited.

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