Political Editor
Encyclopedia
The political editor of a newspaper or broadcast media is the senior political reporter who covers politics and related matters for the newspaper or station. He or she may have a large team of political correspondents working under him or her.
In publishing, because of their seniority, a political editor's byline
is often added to stories which actually are the work of more junior colleagues to give the story more credibility and to indicate his or her seniority within the publication. The political editor usually carries out the major interviews with a country's prime minister
and senior government figures and covers major events like party conference
s.
Among famous political editors, past and present, are
In publishing, because of their seniority, a political editor's byline
Byline
The byline on a newspaper or magazine article gives the name, and often the position, of the writer of the article. Bylines are traditionally placed between the headline and the text of the article, although some magazines place bylines at the bottom of the page, to leave more room for graphical...
is often added to stories which actually are the work of more junior colleagues to give the story more credibility and to indicate his or her seniority within the publication. The political editor usually carries out the major interviews with a country's prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and senior government figures and covers major events like party conference
Party conference
The terms party conference , political convention , and party congress usually refer to a general meeting of a political party. The conference is attended by certain delegates who represent the party membership...
s.
Among famous political editors, past and present, are
- Adam BoultonAdam BoultonAdam Boulton is political editor of the British television channel Sky News, a post he has held since being asked to establish the politics team for the launch of the channel in 1989.-Biography:...
(Sky NewsSky NewsSky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
) 1989 onwards - Tom Bradby (ITN) 2005 onwards
- Michael BrunsonMichael BrunsonMichael Brunson OBE is a British political journalist.He was educated at Bedford School, a boys' independent school in Bedford, Bedfordshire, and read Theology at Queen's College, Oxford University. Michael Brunson began his broadcasting career at the BBC and later served as Washington...
(ITN) 1986 - 2000 retired - John Cole (BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
) 1981 - 1992 retired - Andrew MarrAndrew MarrAndrew William Stevenson Marr is a Scottish journalist and political commentator. He edited The Independent for two years until May 1998, and was political editor of BBC News from 2000 until 2005....
(BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
) 2000 - 2005 now a BBC TV presenter - Glyn Mathias (ITN) 1981 - 1986 subsequently BBC Wales Political Editor & Electoral Commissioner
- Robin OakleyRobin OakleyRobert Francis Leigh Oakley OBE is a British journalist who is the European Political Editor at CNN International. He was formerly Political Editor at the BBC....
(BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
) 1992 - 2000 now at CNN - Bernard PonsonbyBernard PonsonbyBernard Ponsonby is a Scottish broadcast journalist working on regional news and current affairs programming for STV. He joined the station in 1990 and was appointed political editor in 2000.-Political career:...
(STV News) 2000 onwards - Nick RobinsonNick RobinsonNicholas Anthony "Nick" Robinson is a British journalist and political editor for the BBC. Robinson was interested in politics from a young age, and went on to study a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree at Oxford University, where he was also President of the Oxford University Conservative...
(ITN) 2002 - 2005 (BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
) 2005 onwards - Peter Hardiman ScottJack Hardiman ScottJack Hardiman Scott was a distinguished British journalist and broadcaster. He was the BBC's first Political Editor from 1970 to 1975....
(BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
) 1970 - 1975 - John SergeantJohn Sergeant (journalist)John Sergeant is a British television and radio journalist and broadcaster.-Biography:The son of a missionary who was also a distinguished linguist, Sergeant is of Russian Jewish origin on his mother's side. Sergeant's early life meant that he followed his father's work, and was raised in...
(ITN) 2000 - 2002 retired - John Simpson (BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
) 1980 - 1981 now BBC World Affairs Editor - Brian Taylor (BBC ScotlandBBC ScotlandBBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
) 1985 onwards