Riassunto esame Inglese per la pa, prof. Donati, libro consigliato Essential English. For journalist editors and witers, Evans

The role of the copydesk in journalism

The copydesk is responsible for the judgment and preparation of the written word for conversion into mass reproduction. They play a crucial role in shaping the identity of a newspaper through their choice and presentation. Although titles and procedures vary from country to country, and standards of judgment differ from newspaper to newspaper, the skills required remain consistent. The role of the text editor is to define the area of craft under discussion and the journalistic roles, with their work beginning after stories have been selected for publication.

The copy-taster

The copy-taster's responsibility is to reject what is not required. Their basic job involves preliminary selection, and what they select is typically passed to another executive journalist known as the projection editor. Projection editors plan each story on the page grid on the screen; they decide the headline type, the length of the story, and the type it will be set in. Before the page is complete, it is sent to text editors who will:

• Write the headline
• Add important background facts
• Read the story and rewrite it when necessary
• Correct the grammar
• Shorten the story
• Check text for errors
• Combine one story with another
• Check for house style

Standards in editing

Speed is often valued more than polish on some newspapers, leaving little time for refinement. Editors focus on achieving the right length, the right news point, and headline, before moving on to the next story. A command of the language is crucial for a text editor, but the first and foremost requirement is a sense of news. Text editors do not necessarily need to be writing journalists but should be good judges of writing.

Qualities of a good text editor

• Human interest, with qualities of sympathy, insight, and judgment
• Imagination and a sense of humor
• Capacity for absorbing facts and expressing them in an acceptable manner
• A well-balanced mind
• A cool head and the ability to work in an atmosphere of hurry and excitement
• Team spirit and quickness

Good English in journalism

English is a battlefield; no professor of linguistics has as much influence on the language as the text editors who edit the day's news. Every word must be understood by the ordinary reader, and every sentence must be clear at one glance. Every story must convey something about people. Their style rejects long sentences, conditional statements, exclamations, interjections, allusions, metaphors, and Latin terminology. They specialize in concise writing for instant comprehension.

Sentences

A sentence is more likely to be clear if it is short and communicates one thought effectively.