Daily Newspapers

• The Publisher: The boss. The persons who worries about the bottom line. Oversees the entire newspaper - the business side, including advertising and circulation, as well as the news side. Almost always is a business person rather than a newsperson.



• The Editor:The top of the news operation. Sometimes called editor-in-chief. The editor oversees the entire news, gathering function of the paper. Largely an administrative job. But good news editors stay in touch with the daily news flow. What he/she says goes.



• The Managing Editor: The number two news slot. Oversees all the department chiefs, such as the city editor. More in touch with the day-to-day operation of the paper, but also an administrator. He/she may have several assistants called assistant managing editors or AMEs.



• The City Editor: Oversees the day-to-day local news operation. In charge of "hard news." He/she and the assistant city editors assign stories to reporters and decide which events will be covered. The key hands-on supervisor often overseeing such areas as city hall, the governor, legislature, police, courts, education, medical, science, environment, politics, etc. The city editor is also on the lookout for feature stories, especially any that are related to topics currently in the news. Always looking for ways to humanize a news story. Address news releases to this person.



• Features Editor: Sometimes called the lifestyles or home and living editor. A hands-on editor who assigns "softer" human-interest stories that tell something about how people live. Will assign profiles of interesting people. Has the latitude to take on just about any issue as long as the story is anchored in real people. Send feature story ideas and releases to this person.



• Editorial Page Editor: Oversees the editorial and commentary section. Writes and selects the editorials and opinion pieces. Chooses the guest columnists. Send op-ed pieces and letters to the editor to this person.



• Reporters: The backbone of any newspaper. They research and write stories. Some are assigned specific "beats," such as health, education, city hall, etc. Others are called "general assignment" reporters. They are available to cover breaking stories on any subject and take assignments from the editors. Reporters are always on the lookout for original story ideas. Reporters do not write their headlines. Copy editors write headlines. Releases should be sent to reporters if the information pertains to the reporter's "beat."

• Publisher: May own the newspaper.



• Editor: There may only be a managing editor. Oversees the news operation of the paper. Send news releases to this person.



• Reporters: Usually they cover several beats plus some general assignments. Send news releases to the appropriate reporter.

• General Manager: The big banana. The GM oversees the entire station. Equivalent to the publisher at a newspaper.



• News Director: The main supervisor of the day-to-day, local newsgathering operation. Equivalent to the city editor. Always looking for ideas. Address news releases to this person, too.



• Public Affairs Director: Usually runs an extension of the news department. Often oversees the Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that are aired. Public affairs shows can be issue-oriented local talk shows, special reports, documentaries, weekly roundtables, etc.



• Op-ed Piece: A signed guest editorial submitted for publication, usually by an expert on the issue being discussed. Op-eds offer original commentary on an issue of public interest.



• Pitch Letter: A personalized letter to a reporter/editor requesting coverage of an issue or event, explaining why it is newsworthy.



• Media Briefing: A news opportunity, less formal and more exploratory than a news conference, at which a few select reporters are invited to sit down with experts and learn about a breaking story, or gather background information on the issue.



• Public Service Announcement (PSA): Written announcement in the format of 10, 20, 30 or 60 seconds used by radio and television stations to fill gaps between programming and paid advertising. PSAs cannot be partisan or support or oppose legislation; they are vehicles that alert people to meetings or provide information.



• Sound Bite: A short (20 seconds) newsworthy interview segment used to convey a specific point of view in a television or radio news story.



• Statement: A one-to-two page response to breaking news that offers a quote for insertion into another story. Statements are highly quotable and must be released in a timely fashion, i.e., a few hours after an announcement from the Mayor's office or a court decision. They are distributed directly to reporters who cover the issue.