Insider Info

There are usually a few places in most towns and cities that never close. Many corner stores and all-night diners haven't been locked up in years. Look hard enough and you'll often find one more spot open. No, it isn't the latest nightclub. The lights will be burning at some editor's desk somewhere.

It could be noon or midnight. It's all the same.

Editor Kirk LaPointe puts in 10 hours at a stretch. He then goes home for a couple of hours and comes back at about 8:30 p.m. for a half-hour or so. "Typically, I bring some work home with me on nights and weekends. I am not away from the job very much," he says.

While technology is having a big impact on journalism, LaPointe says there is still a place for print.

"To date, the Internet has not found a way to occupy journalism locally," he says.

"While it does a fine job of speedily delivering non-local content, the typical citizen will continue to require some entity to create locally relevant information, with context and perhaps even wisdom. Newspapers, or whatever they've become, are best poised to do that. They have the trust of the market."

On a more personal side, he likes "the challenge of leading a community to a wider understanding of the world, the excitement of telling stories, the rough and tumble of responding to events, the joy of taking your ideas into print. It's a great window on society, and you get paid for it."

Gail Martin is a newspaper editor. "There is no average workday," she says. "Hours depend on what is happening. I have worked as many as 16 hours in one day."

Fifty to 60 hours in one week is not uncommon.

"You must be available at the right time. I became an editor by first working as a senior reporter in my newsroom. When my editor retired, I was ready to move up. There is little turnover, because those who do well at the job are generally those who love the work," she says.

Long hours with only occasional stops for refreshment are an editor's life. The opportunity to be creative and make a difference propel many a sleep-starved editor through another edition.

"I love the challenge of shaping the paper each week, determining what is news and what isn't, and what the top story of the week is," says Martin.

Does this life have its moments? "Let's just say that since I've worked here, I have been threatened with three libel lawsuits. Of course, since I know my libel law, I have never actually seen any of these go to court."

Because of the topsy-turvy schedules and the "we never close" policies of many papers, the editing duties are shared. It's simply impossible for one editor to stay up 24 hours a day.

Julie Murchison Harris shares the job with a co-editor.

"I work primarily the day shift and my co-editor works primarily the night shift," says Murchison Harris.

"Our chief responsibility is to get the newspaper on the street every day, and to manage the people who do the actual detail work. The day shift editor ends up dealing with a lot of personnel issues, while the night shift news editor gets to focus on getting the newspaper out."

She tries to keep an eight-hour day, but that often gets bumped to nine, 10 and sometimes even 12 or more.

"In management, there is never anything remotely related to working fixed hours. I'm on call 24 hours a day, really."

Long hours aside, newspaper people are passionate about the industry. "I love my job, that it's different every single day. I'm so happy when a huge project comes together and everyone is proud of his or her individual roles."

John Halucha is editor-in-chief of another newspaper. He says there is never any time for coffee breaks. Lunches are missed pretty regularly, too.

"Whatever happens with computers, reporters and editors will always be needed to gather, process and present news. Especially since local coverage is important in every market," says Halucha.

He likes the variety his work brings to him every day. "While there are routines that must be fulfilled, every day brings an editor in touch with different situations as news stories break. There is a thrill in being the first to know and the first to spread the word to others."

His biggest grumble is time -- or the lack of it. "There never seems to be enough time to devote to projects. There is also constant juggling of priorities due not only to time constraints, but also tight budgets."

Most editors wouldn't trade away the long hours and missed meals for anything. "It's fun. If one must work to put bread on the table, this is a great business," says Halucha.