As an editorial writer, I work as a part of the editorial board of our newspaper. We meet on a regular basis to discuss what our paper should say on a range of issues. For example, we establish whether to support a particular idea, project, or political party in our articles. Our team includes numerous experts in different subject areas to make sure we base our decisions on the most factual and up‑to‑date information and data available.

Editorial writers receive directions from the editorial page editor, who is in charge of the editorial page and distributes the workload to particular writers. When the efforts of editorial writers get published, they become the official point of view of the newspaper. The downside, however, is that you don’t get your name printed under the text, as it is a collective effort.

I like to think of myself as someone superior to a regular press reporter, who is told by the newsdesk which random story to work on. The fact that, as many other foreign correspondents, I live and work abroad, makes me quite distinctive.

Press correspondents face many challenges. For instance, I am often allocated stories related to military conflicts, which forces me to travel to war zones or other dangerous locations. I am an expert in my field of expertise and the newspaper could not comment on many important foreign issues if it wasn’t for my effort.

Sometimes it bothers me a bit that I am not taken seriously by my fellow columnists. Of course, most of them focus on more serious topics, writing for the publication regularly, and offering commentary and opinions on serious matters, like politics or global problems.

Still, I consider myself a real columnist, despite the fact that my texts offer advice on small problems of individuals. As an agony aunt, I form my columns in a question and answer format, offering advice to people who send in problems to our media outlet. Their issues may seem minor, but getting useful advice on something that troubles them personally means the world to many readers.

As an editor, I am responsible for preparing texts written by journalists for publication. Many people imagine my work as the simple correction of errors and misspellings, but it can be so much more than that.

My cooperation with the author of an article often begins with their idea for the text itself, continuing as a collaboration between the two of us as the work is created. We sometimes brainstorm ideas, and discuss which style of writing would be best in a particular situation and how to organise the text. It actually requires some real creative skills!

The process of exchange and debate about the role and performance of the press has been ongoing for years. As a press critic, I evaluate the quality of press articles and publish my findings in the form of an internet blog. Many people take information they read in papers for granted and often don’t question their sources and conclusions journalists make.

My job is to look at issues discussed in the press from many points of view and deliver an objective commentary. However, I don’t only publish the effects of my work on the internet. I get regularly invited to discuss them in TV programmes or podcasts. I believe readers deserve the opportunity to compare the information they read with other sources and not necessarily believe anything they are told by journalists.

How much have you learned from the slides? Revise the information using the mind map below.

Choose all the true statements about the press.