JOURNALISM AND JOURNALISTS. Though the qualifications and status of Clergymen, Physicians and members of many other professions are definite, the Journalist continues to follow an indeterminate calling with neither qualifications nor status precisely defined. The editor of a great metropolitan news paper is equally a Journalist with the humblest police court re porter ; and there are many persons who style themselves Journal ists who supplement incomes by writing for newspapers and periodicals.
Several efforts have been made by the Institute of Journalists to create a standard in Great Britain that would result in every working journalist having to undergo such training and pass such examinations as are necessary in the recognized professions. Courses of journalism at the University of London following a series of lectures organized by Sir Sidney Lee during the World War were established in 1922 and have been well supported. In America there have been established a number of schools of journalism (see JOURNALISM, SCHOOLS OF) to train future news paper editors and writers.
Generally speaking, the staff of a national daily newspaper con sists of an editor-in-chief, an assistant editor (called managing editor in America), a day editor, a night editor, a news editor, with his staff of reporters, a Sunday editor, a foreign editor, the chief sub-editor with a staff of sub-editors, in addition to leader or editorial writers, a literary editor, sporting editor, aviation edi tor, dramatic, film and music critics, and experts on such subjects as motoring, wireless, racing and golf. That is the internal journal istic organization, as distinguished from the managerial, advertis ing and other departments. The outside organization includes a chain of correspondents all over the world.
The legal relations of the Press to the public are dealt with else where (see PRESS LAWS, LIBEL, COPYRIGHT, CONTEMPT OF COURT). So far as the relations of a newspaper staff and its em ployers are concerned, journalists in Great Britain are subject to the law of contract of service the same as other persons, subject to a custom by which, in the absence of any contract, the follow ing periods of notice must as a general rule be given ; editors and assistant editors, from six to twelve months, according to the rela tive standing of the newspaper; sub-editors, from three to six months; reporters, from one to three months. In America there is no stipulated length of notice due the members of the newspaper staff. Only a very few have contracts which protect them from immediate dismissal. The length of notice given others depends
entirely on the policy of the individual newspaper. The editor is responsible for everything that goes into his paper, in Great. Britain (but not in the United States) including even the adver tisement columns.
The last great personality in English journalism is J. L. Garvin, editor of The Observer, who is pre-eminent as a writing editor, brilliant and independent. He is a recognized authority on foreign affairs, and has exercised an influence on world politics for many years. In 1926 he took on new responsibilities, becoming editor of The Encyclopcedia Britannica and chairman of the Empire Press Union.
The Times has reverted to its traditional policy, as the first newspaper, occupying its place with easy dignity. Its scholarly editor, Geoffrey Dawson. maintains anonymity, while the control ling proprietor, Hon. J. J. Astor, M. P., maintains the reserved tradition of the Walters. The change has, however, assured to The Times its position of independence as a national newspaper.
In America in times past the outstanding editors of newspapers were also the owners. Charles Anderson Dana purchased The Sun and edited it. James Gordon Bennett was the editor and publisher of The New York Herald, and Horace Greeley was the editor and one of the owners of the New York Tribune. Joseph Pulitzer bought The World and directed its editorial policy. Today one hears very little of the editors of the individual newspapers. It is instead the owner of the paper whose name is before the public. For example The World is associated with the Pulitzer name, The New York Times with Adolph S. Ochs, The Public Ledger with Cyrus H. K. Curtis, and The New York American with Wil liam Randolph Hearst.