« How to Hire Good Editors | Home | The Fog Index »

Editorial Skills in Demand

Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 9:45 AM

In the news: What editorial skills matter most to hiring personnel?

Last week, Foliomag.com posted a roundup of lucrative editorial skills. So what skills do top editors seek in new hires? Strong editing skills and ability to work under tight deadlines are no longer enough. According to Peter Moore, editor of Men's Health, new hires must be technologically savvy and conversant in social media. His magazine tends to hire graduates from journalism schools, but more important is wide experience across multiple platforms (print, video, web, blogs, etc.).

Meg Majors, editor-in-chief of Progressive Grocer, emphasizes that candidates should have a "sound business reporting voice." Charlene Fink, Farm Journal Media's senior vice president of editorial and content development, seeks candidates not only with basic journalism skills, but the ability to deliver content across multiple platforms. Candidates tend to be former interns or graduates of top journalism schools.

All three editors agree that multiplatform content delivery is the name of the game. Read more.

Tumblr and Subscriptions

What is the next social networking wave for magazines? According to some editors, the answer is Tumblr. Much like Twitter, the microblogging site allows for interaction between the magazine and its followers. GW, The Economist, Entertainment Weekly, and dozens of other publications are already on board and experimenting with the platform. Some editors believe that Tumblr can attract readers (particularly younger ones) otherwise unfamiliar with a given magazine brand. Perhaps more importantly, high traffic Tumblr sites can generate enough buzz to make a story or brand go viral. And, in today's frenzied social media world, all you need is buzz. Read more.

Are Static Websites Passé?

In a recent article on Editor & Publisher's website, Upstream Digital Media managing director Keith Jordan poses a scenario: "Imagine that major news breaks -- the kind that changes everything in the areas your publication covers. Your editorial team wants to throw normal design out the window and create a unique treatment that conveys the news event's importance." A static website, says Jordan, can't accommodate such a spur-of-the-moment need. The solution is metadata. Read more.

Report: Reader Engagement and App Users

A recent Yudu study finds a higher level of reader engagement among ebook and digital magazine app users. According to the results, 64 percent of app users visit the app multiple times -- 3.7 times on average. Could this trend mean digital revenue growth for magazines in the near future? Read more.

Add your comment.

« How to Hire Good Editors | Top | The Fog Index »