A newspaper editor proofreads content that writers submit, and approves the final layout of specific sections of the paper or the entire paper. The editor makes changes to existing newspaper stories and assigns stories to various writers. The editor takes responsibility for the editorial, or non-advertising, content within the newspaper.
Newspaper editors read each story prior to publishing it. The editors make changes themselves, send the stories back for rewriting, or publish the stories as is. There are often more stories than will fit in the newspapers, and the editors must decide which stories to eliminate entirely or postpone to a later edition. Newspaper editors must make personal decisions on which stories to include based upon the sound professional judgment of audience receptivity, timing, relevance or other factors.