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(UCAS/Progression blog)

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(My gallery blog)

Magazine research

Editor –

There are different kinds of editors on a magazine, and their specific duties vary. On large magazines, the executive editor or editor in chief sees that the company's editorial policy is carried out. This job is primarily administrative, but the whole magazine including text, pictures, captions, and headings is all under the responsibility of the editor in chief. On most magazines the chief editor also expresses the magazine's point of view through editorials, which are short essays on subjects of current reader interest. Most large publications hire managing editors to take charge of getting each issue out on time. These editors look after the day to day work of selecting articles, arranging copy, and supervising other editors. Sometimes they are put in charge of a branch office in another location. The editorial staff on a magazine may include senior editors, associate editors, assistant editors, and editorial assistants. These editors may have different job titles, but their basic responsibility is selecting and editing articles or stories for each issue of the magazine.

Most magazine editors will have a degree in either English or journalism and some even having a master’s degree. Other majors are acceptable especially for technical or special interest magazines; although courses in English and journalism would also be necessary. As well as qualifications you also need set skills such as advanced computer skills and a good sense of language and grammar are necessary in the field of magazine editing. High school and college experience in journalism can help towards a job. Any specialized knowledge can be useful in getting a start with a magazine in a specific field. General knowledge is always a massive advantage as well, for example you would need to be up to date in what’s going on in what your magazine is about, for example if your magazine was about fashion you would be expected to know about all the current affairs in the fashion industry.

Art Director –

An art director oversees the art, i.e. the photographs and drawn images that appear in newspapers, magazines, ad campaigns and on book covers. An art director is usually the person who oversees the entire design department; working with photo editors and editors to coordinate what images will match up with what words. More than simply assigning a photographer or illustrator to create an image, an art director works on creating visual concepts. At a magazine an art director would work to create the specific look and feel of the entire magazine ensuring there’s a unified visual look throughout.

To become an art director having a degree from art school is which you would study graphic design, photography and drawing is considered essential. In today’s job market art directors also need to have an in depth knowledge of various computer programs that allow them to work with everything from photographs to font sizes. Whilst the most widely known of these is Photoshop which contains a vast range of editing tools, there are other less known programmes which are catered to a more specific field. Art schools will also provide candidates with a portfolio, which is necessary to land most jobs in this field. Art directors often work up to the title from assistant positions are likely to need to show examples of their work. For example someone looking to work as an art director in an ad agency would need to show their potential employer some samples ad campaigns they had created.

Picture Editor –

Picture editors oversee the photography that appears in a magazine primarily working as the person for communicating with and hiring photographers.

As picture editor your job is to visualize the message of the editorial material. Such as how the text could be enhanced, emphasized, or illustrated with photos; and once you have created an idea you then hire the right photographer to come up with the photos. This means that a picture editor needs extensive contacts within the photo industry as will they need to know what kind of photographers will be available and who best suits the topic you are covering. For example if the shoot calls for various shots of a family, that will likely require a different photographer than a glamour style shot. If your magazine only covers fashion then your knowledge of photographers will be selected to that filed, whereas if you worked for a magazine such as ‘Time’ you would need a wider range of contacts.

Feature Editor –
A magazine features editor ensures that their publication is full of entertaining, informative and interesting articles. Most opportunities are in large publishing companies that produce a wide range of titles. However, features editors are also employed by trade magazines, specialist publishers, online media and in-house magazines. Magazine features editors do not always need specialist knowledge of the subject they cover, unless the content is highly technical, although an interest in the subject is usually expected.

Each role varies according to the size of the publication and the nature of its content, but these are some examples of a feature editor’s responsibility:

§ overseeing the layout, appearance and content of feature articles

§ generating ideas for features with writing staff

§ commissioning articles from freelance and in-house writers

§ managing writing staff and freelance feature writers

§ editing and re-writing articles, some of which may be rejected or returned to the writer for revision

§ overseeing artwork, design and photography for the features section of the magazine

§ attending photo-shoots

§ organising meetings with writers and artists to discuss ideas for artwork, layout and features

§ negotiating payments with freelance writers

§ dealing with legal matters

§ selecting feature articles for each issue

§ sending out briefs to writers which can include word count, deadline, fee and writing style

§ proofreading all pages before going to press

§ raising the profile of the magazine

§ networking with others at industry events

§ assisting other staff to meet their deadlines.

Photographer –

This is the person that will be employed to take the photos for a magazine, often working in conjunction with the art director and the photo editor. (more to be added)

Job vacancies:

Staff Writer –

The average salary for a staff writer is about $50,000 per year, according to a website named ‘Simply Hired’. The location where a writer works helps determine salary. The average salary for a staff writer in New York City is $63,000, while the salary for a staff writer in Salt Lake City is $48,000. Researching is a large part of a staff writer's job responsibility, so he must show broad-based research ability range always including primary and secondary research in his work. An effective staff writer must also master interviewing and have a versatile style to their interviewing techniques as one day they could need to interview a wide range of people from different backgrounds and careers depending on the magazine they work for. Although most staff writers will have one or more copy editors they must also do some of the editing themselves. In addition to editing their own work before, staff writers often edit the work of others being expected to give feedback on the work to make the appropriate changes needed.

A four-year degree is typically required. A communications degree with an emphasis in journalism or English can give you the upper hand when applying for a job in this area of work. Though there are places that hire entry-level staff writers, the longer a writer works, the more he is able to apply for positions requiring more specific experience and higher status.

(more to be added)