In print and online journalism, a sub-editor (often shortened to "sub") is the editorial professional responsible for preparing a reporter's raw copy for publication. The role sits between the reporter and the senior editors, and historically includes a mix of textual, design, and gatekeeping functions.
Core tasks typically include:
- Copy-editing: correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, and adherence to the publication's style guide (e.g. the Guardian style guide, AP Stylebook, or The Economist style guide).
- Fact-checking names, dates, figures, and quotes against source material.
- Cutting and rewriting to fit a fixed word count or column inches.
- Writing headlines, standfirsts, captions, and pull-quotes, which the reporter usually does not supply.
- Legal scrutiny, flagging potential defamation, contempt, or privacy issues for a duty lawyer — a particularly developed function in UK newsrooms operating under the Defamation Act 2013 and the Editors' Code overseen by IPSO.
- Page layout in traditional print operations, working on systems such as InDesign or proprietary CMSs.
The term is most common in British, Irish, Australian, Indian, and South African journalism. In the United States the closest equivalents are the copy editor and the news editor, with headline-writing and layout sometimes split off to a page designer.
Sub-editing has been heavily affected by newsroom consolidation since the 2000s. Many UK regional titles outsourced subbing to centralised hubs — for example, Newsquest and Reach plc reorganised subbing operations during the 2010s — and some digital-first outlets have folded the role into a general "production journalist" or "content editor" title. Despite this, sub-editors remain central to maintaining accuracy and consistency, and their absence is frequently cited in post-mortems of high-profile corrections and retractions.
For researchers using news archives, understanding the sub's role helps explain why headlines and article text sometimes diverge in tone or emphasis: they are usually written by different people.
Example
In 2020, sub-editors at Reach plc — publisher of the Daily Mirror and dozens of UK regional papers — were among staff affected when the group restructured its content operations and centralised production roles.
Frequently asked questions
They overlap heavily. 'Sub-editor' is the British/Commonwealth term and traditionally includes headline writing and page layout as well as copy correction. 'Copy editor' is the US term and is often narrower, focused on text correction, with headlines and layout handled by separate roles.
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