How To Become Editor-in-chief In Nigerian Media Houses

Becoming an editor-in-chief is the pinnacle of the editorial career which anyone would wish to attain before leaving the profession. This requires a lot of effort, skills and commitment be successful on the job. The mass media industry in Nigeria is highly competitive requiring only skilled persons as editor-in-chief that could take their organizations to the top. Whether you want to work as editor-in-chief in mass media organization in Nigeria or abroad the skills required are basically the same.

You could work as editors-in-chief for magazines, newspapers, blogs or book publishing companies. You require years of experience in writing, editing, and management to arrive at this executive position as editor-in-chief. As an editor-in-chief you are responsible for the overall publication, including the actual process of publishing, budgeting and financing, and vision and strategy. You do a lot of directing, coordinating and controlling jobs at managerial level. This is really a serious task and you require the right knowledge to begin early to plan towards getting to this position if this is your professional desire.

The editor-in-chief is involved in a wide range of decision making with regards to stories, photographs, advertisements, printing, graphics, and social events. He or she may write, but most of the work of an editor includes overseeing the various editors and writers who create the publication’s contents. This responsibility also includes approving the final submission for publishing.

Checkout this interesting piece posted on wiki how which provides a step-by-step approach to becoming an editor-in-chief is a newspaper, magazine, blog or even book publishing organization. You can apply these steps in order to achieve your goal.

 

Focus your efforts primarily on one type of publication. There are editors-in-chief for all kinds of publications, from magazines to newspapers to blogs to book publishers. Determine which of these is most appealing. The sets of skills needed by editors-in-chief are typically transferable among various writing industries, from print and online newspapers to magazines and academic publishers.

Learn all you can about the industry. Do research about the industry and identify some key organizations that are most appealing to you as potential employers.
Go for an appropriate higher education programme. Most publications will require a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in journalism, mass communication, business or similar for executive level positions. For some publications, however, journalism degrees are not the most appropriate. For example, if you want to be editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine, attend fashion school instead.[1] You should also consider location when determining the best program.
Do a lot of writing. No matter the type of writing, writing will help you hone your skills, find your voice, and become comfortable with writing quickly in many styles.
Do a lot of reading. Being a good writer, and ultimately a good editor-in-chief, means being well-read.
Be a good editor. This involves reviewing writing for consistency, quality, tone and style. In addition, you need to be able to judge whether or not the writer used valid, reliable sources.
Learn the style guides for your preferred publication or industry. You need to understand the house style of the organization you want to work with.
Bridge print and digital formats. There are very few publications that don’t have a digital presence to accompany their print versions. There are many online-only publications, but having an understanding about print will help you position yourself as a versatile worker.

Build your interpersonal skills. Your skill set shouldn’t just include technical skills. You also need to be someone who can work well as part of a team and as an individual.
Be knowledgeable about trends that impact your audience. Identifying trends that suit your publication’s editorial style will provide you with story ideas that can then be assigned to writers.
Build a resume by doing the following:
Start an internship. Getting an internship at a magazine, newspaper, website or book publisher is a great way to start making contacts, gain experience and learn about the business.

Take a job at a smaller-sized publication. This will enable you to get valuable experience in a leadership role and to work your way up the ladder.
Work your way up. You might start as a writer, copy editor or editorial assistant. As you get more experience and build your skills, you might be promoted to assistant editor, associate editor, senior editor, or managing editor.
Network in your field by doing the following;
Conduct informational interviews with people at your top choice organizations. An informational interview is an informal conversation with someone who can give you insight into a company or industry.
Join a professional association. This might be very helpful especially when you want to network with colleagues in the industry.
Finally, go for the job and be a good leader in your organisation.
This sounds like a long process but that’s what it takes to get to the top of your desired career as an editor-in-chief. Once you get to the top, work hard to stay on top, very relevant and creative.

(For details of this article see wiki how)