Why copy editors matter

Calling it "A primer in news credibility," the American Copy Editors Society "fills in the holes" in Tribune Co. owner Sam Zell's conception of the work done by copy editors. It's one of the best explanations of what copy editors do and why they are important that I've read. This is highly recommended, especially for bloggers and would-be "citizen journalists." Zell said what happens online is that a reporter calls a "copywriter" with a story, and it's on the web in 10 minutes. Unfortunately, that's all too true, which is why the Internet is filled with a lot of garbage (sure, there is a lot of good material, but there's also a lot of inaccuracies, copyright violations, and libel). Basically, ACES calls for more eyes on every story. That's what professionals do, and a story vetted by many eyes has a much better chance of meeting journalistic standards. Frankly, bloggers can do the same (I have someone who reads my copy before it goes up, and others quick to let me know if something is slightly off).