What happened to the Copy Editors?

[Your Huckleberry]

I've been looking off and on for the few years for just a "copy editor" position --- one where you basically read other people's copy, fix it, make it better and then approve it for publication. I love writing but I'm beginning to think I might be better teaching younger reporters rather than just writing myself. However, the more I have looked into this the less I have found.

It seems like all the "copy editor" positions have been redefined as "designer" or "paginator" positions and the art of copy editing has been tossed aside. I'd like to find a real copy editor position from the old days but I'm beginning to think they don't exist much more or are at least not quite as common. That concerns me, too, though because it might be the kind of job that gets whacked if layoffs were to ever come around.

So, do copy editors still exist? Or have they been cleverly turned into designers similar to how "ashistant sports editors" have become designers as well?

Just wondering if my search is hopeless.

 

[SF_Express]

Editing copy is still important, but some diversity of skill is valued.

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

I always enjoy telling readers, when they ask, that: "No, there is no such job as 'proofreader' at newspapers anymore." We all at times have that duty, but nobody I know has that title.

 

[Ace]

I always enjoy telling readers, when they ask, that: "No, there is no such job as 'proofreader' at newspapers anymore." We all at times have that duty, but nobody I know has that title.

Yeah, the old: "Don't you people have proofreaders?"

No. As a matter of fact we don't.

 

[Your Huckleberry]

That's what I thought. Looks like I better learn how to design then.

 

[Captain_Kirk]

off topic, but back in the early, wild west days of SportsJournalists.com, some of the fiercest (and funniest and best) battles were of the copy editor vs. writer variety. Haven't seen one of those in a long time either.

 

[Football_Bat]

You know, a former member of this board once asked the same question and it was interpreted as railing against designers.

Just saying.

 

[Mighty_Wingman]

FYI, The State in Columbia, S.C., posted an ad for a sports copy editor -- just editing copy and writing headlines, so far as I can tell -- today.

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/43033/

With that said, they're certainly not very common in today's newspaper world. And while that may be great for the bottom line, it's not a positive for the product.

 

[shotglass]

You know, a former member of this board once asked the same question and it was interpreted as railing against designers.

Just saying.

That's OK ... the previous offender has his own little board where he can post all day long.

And answer himself, too.

 

[Ace]

My theory is that copy editors are unable to attract mates and reproduce and thus are becoming extinct.

 

[shotglass]

Only if they are unable to design, too.

Versatility is sex-eeee.

 

[Editude]

Depends on the size of the staff, but being able to do a variety of things can only help. You do know what you're getting when the job opening is for a paginator.