We re often dealing with reporters and assigning editors face to face, or have developed a comfortable phone relationship that facilitates editing. With downsizing at The Times, rim editors have more opportunities to handle layout and slot duties. Rim editors trained in layout often handle news editing duties and some fill in slot positions regularly. There is no monetary compensation unless the editor s title is changed. One person on my desk has gone on to be an assigning editor, one is now a hiring editor, and the others have gone on to other news editor jobs.
Editors leaving the desk usually transfer to other desks on the paper.
We are good copy editors and great layout editors. My colleagues are also good news editors. Great on deadline. Good teamwork for the most part. Many are fine word editors with a strong background in news.