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 conferences.
Among famous political editors, past and present, are
- Adam Boulton (Sky News) 1989 onwards
- Tom Bradby (ITN) 2005 onwards
- Michael Brunson (ITN) 1986 - 2000 retired
- John Cole (BBC News) 1981 - 1992 retired
- Julian Haviland (ITN) 1975 - 1981 subsequently became Political Editor of The Times newspaper
- David Holmes (BBC News) 1975 - 1980 retired
- Andrew Marr (BBC News) 2000 - 2005 now a BBC TV presenter
- Glyn Mathias (ITN) 1981 - 1986 subsequently BBC Wales Political Editor & Electoral Commissioner
- Robin Oakley (BBC News) 1992 - 2000 now at CNN
- Bernard Ponsonby (STV News) 2000 onwards
- Nick Robinson (ITN) 2002 - 2005 (BBC News) 2005 onwards
- Peter Hardiman Scott (BBC News) 1970 - 1975
- John Sergeant (ITN) 2000 - 2002 retired
- John Simpson (BBC News) 1980 - 1981 now BBC World Affairs Editor
- Brian Taylor (BBC Scotland) 1985 onwards
Famous quotes containing the words political and/or editor:
“There is no legislation—I care not what it is—tariff, railroads, corporations, or of a general political character, that all equals in importance the putting of our banking and currency system on the sound basis proposed in the National Monetary Commission plan.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“For a long time I was reporter to a journal, of no very wide circulation, whose editor has never yet seen fit to print the bulk of my contributions, and, as is too common with writers, I got only my labor for my pains. However, in this case my pains were their own reward.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)