Production journalists are the sub-editors, proofreaders, video editors, graphics/layout designers and webmasters.
They are the ones who write the headlines, check the facts, optimise web stories to get them to the top of a search list and edit the highlights of the latest news bulletin. They are the essential second pair of eyes needed to catch an inaccuracy that may have slipped through the net.
To be a successful sub-editor you must be pedantic about spelling and grammar and fanatical about the correct use of punctuation. This is not an over-exaggeration; the best sub-editors are those who have a legendary commitment to fine detail. Do you know the correct use of the apostrophe? If you want to be a successful sub-editor you need to know the possessive and plural rules inside-out.
As well as sub-editing, production journalists are also required to get involved in page layouts, working out how best to lay out stories in a newspaper and deciding what images will help to illustrate the stories. If you have an eye for detail and a flair for design, this could be the job for you.
Many NCTJ accredited courses offer production journalism as a specialist option which teaches students key production skills for both print and online. These courses are listed in the accredited courses section of this website.