December 2017 – Page 4 – Subbing Clinic

#283

Daily Express, December 1, 2017

It’s surely worth pointing out that she is 85! It took the usual ten seconds to find her age.

#282

i newspaper, December 1, 2017

In a news story, you cannot report someone’s opinion as fact. This heading should have had quotes to read

Dumping Spacey ‘was right’

or (if the style was changed)

Scott: Why Spacey had to go

The only context in which you could use the existing heading would be if it was the writer’s own opinion.

I cannot stress strongly enough that it takes years of experience to make a good sub-editor. When I was a junior sub, almost everyone else in the department was older and wiser, and the benefit of their experience was passed down to me. A chief sub would often point out how things could be improved. These days most older subs have been dispensed with and there is no one to teach or mentor the younger ones. Staffs have been so reduced that no one has time to guide anyone else.

This clinic is an attempt to pass on my experience using real examples. I would love to receive items from others as I do not read every paper every day. I will add new entries as I come across them.