Lancaster, PA
The primary responsibility of the night shift copy editor/page designer, an integral part of the universal desk, is the editing of news and sports stories and preparing them for publication to ensure we are giving our audience the high-quality content they want. This person also will design pages – both news and sports - that engage our readers and present news and feature stories in compelling fashion.
Essential Job Functions:
• Helps foster a newsroom environment that champions excellent journalism, collaboration, creativity and teamwork.
• Edits news and sports stories to make sure content is fair, balanced, accurate and compelling.
• Edits all written content for adherence to Associated Press style, spelling and grammar.
• Works with a digital-first mentality by posting stories and making any corrections and/or additions to stories already posted. Works to improve digital content to attract and hold readers.
• Flags stories that may raise ethical or legal concerns.
• Writes headlines and summaries.
• Writes and edits photo captions, fact boxes and other story elements as necessary.
• Writes brief news items from press releases.
• Proofs completed pages, checking all headlines, cutlines and design elements for accuracy and clarity. Fills out checklist, initials it and places it on filing cabinet.
• Answers news desk telephones, responding to or forwarding inquiries and taking messages as needed. Handles calls with courtesy at all times.
• Adapts to frequent changes and interruptions in daily work routine.
• Proficiently uses all newsroom editing, photographic, wire handling and pagination software.
• Paginates news and sports pages.
Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
• 3 to 5 years’ experience in journalism preferred.