Who owns a column?

majorbabs · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2004 3:54 pm

The other conversation on this board, about how editors might alter someone's column, prompts me to ask: Does a writer "own" his or her column? (Leaving aside syndicated columns such as "Dear Abby" or George Will's latest.) For example, if you get a column for review, the writer being someone not in the pay of your newspaper -- a local citizen or congressional aide, perhaps -- who says that so-and-so died on Tuesday and you know that so-and-so died on Thursday, do you change it? Ask the writer to submit a corrected story? Run as is? Other? Or if the writer includes something in the column that you know someone else said, and it's not attributed? And if you change it, do you let the writer know his/her column has been changed or not?I'm trying to structure the gray area between when the editor fixes it and when the non-professional writer fixes it. I'd also like to know how the communication between the two about the change is handled.Thanks for any stories/advice you have on this issue.

Gatekeeper · **Posted:** Fri Jan 09, 2004 9:10 pm

Hmm ... if the error is factual â€” i.e. wrong day of the week, spelling error, sentence structure â€” I will fix it. But if it's something like an unattributed quote or information, that's where I will generally return it to the writer or, at the very least, call them up and tell them it has to be changed, or why I'm changing it.I've seen enough poorly edited Letters to the Editor and submitted columns that it aggravates me to no end. Part of our job as copy editors and journalists in general is to make sure we and those who submit stuff don't look stupid. We can avoid that through editing.Gatekeeper-30-

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2004 1:37 am

Nothing in the newspaper should be exempt from editing.

Peter Sibley · **Posted:** Sat Jan 10, 2004 3:05 am

A letter writer ought to be able to say, without contradiction from the copy desk, that "the moon will crash into the Earth on Thursday."The premise is demonstrably false, but I'm more interested that "moon" and "Earth" are expressed correctly.

Jackie · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2004 6:14 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by blanp:
Nothing in the newspaper should be exempt from editing.<hr></blockquote>Amen!
I know that doesn't add anything to the discussion, but amen anyway.

majorbabs · **Posted:** Sun Jan 11, 2004 9:39 pm

Thanks. In another context in my life, I edit a small newsletter and am having quite a time with one of my "writers" who says he "owns his column" and that, as such, it should never be edited. Your comments will help me explain Life to him.

Jackie · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2004 1:29 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by majorbabs:
Thanks. In another context in my life, I edit a small newsletter and am having quite a time with one of my "writers" who says he "owns his column" and that, as such, it should never be edited. Your comments will help me explain Life to him.<hr></blockquote>Politely ask him if he owns the newsletter.

Gatekeeper · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2004 3:42 am

^^^Either that or let a really stupid and obvious error on his part get in, since he "owns" the column. Only problem with that is it would reflect poorly on the newsletter. Plus violating one's professional and personal code of conduct (at least it would be for me).Gatekeeper-30-

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