Newspaper Copy Editors' Perceptions of Their Ideal and Real Ethics Roles

Abstract

This study examines the ethics role conceptions of newspaper copy editors, who have long been viewed as “the last line of defense” against errors but sometimes battle for respect in their newsrooms. Survey responses from 470 copy desk workers at 100 daily newspapers indicate that most copy editors think their jobs should have an ethics-watchdog component. They also perceive, however, that there is little newsroom support for their raising questions about potential ethics-related problems. This conflict between perceptions about ideal and real roles was associated with lower job satisfaction across five measures.