Professors and professionals agree that text editing, headline writing and design are fundamental and crucial skills. Professors, however, think students need a wider variety of skills.

News editing has undergone several waves of substantial change in the last 25 years. The most obvious has been technological. Computer editing, pagination and digital imaging, which were barely a dream 30 years ago, are tools of the trade today.

Organizational change is a more recent development. Among its manifestations are design desks, newsroom teams and maestro approaches, as well as increased awareness of the need for better leadership and people skills.

The growth of online media ...