Publishing is a crucial part of the printing industry. From big to small, local to international, publishing houses bring stories to the newspapers. Trinity Mirror is an example of a national publishing house that publishes over 240 regional newspaper, while Epoch Times is an international newspaper that publishes in print and online.

Newspapers and publishers aren’t all national or international. Many are locally based, such as the Ashford Herald, which publishes stories in the Ashford area. Another example would be the Kent Messenger, which is a regional newspaper owned by the KM Group.

The printing industry as a whole is made up of several departments, all with their own roles that contribute to the overall task. Researchers, editors, designers, etc. The job roles within these departments can be given a category/sub-category analogy, as each department holds a few job roles.

Research – The research department is behind all the information gathering that goes into a news story. People, places, incidents, they research all topics relevant to the current piece, which is then used by the writers in other departments.

Journalism – Those in the journalism department are the key writers behind a newspaper’s story. Using the research given to them, they construct the stories that are eventually released to the public.

Editorial – Editors refine the stories that are written. Tweaking with word choice, fact-checking and possibly changing the story’s focus slightly, the editors are responsible for fine-tuning a newspaper’s stories.

Design/Photographic – Responsible for the visual aspects in the printing industry. Logos, photographs and profile pictures are handled by these two departments, giving the newspaper a visual flair that allows them to stand out.

Production – The production department are those who supervises and oversees all the work, known as production coordinators. They ensure that the project is completed and on time for the story to be released.

Printing/Print Finishing – These two departmenrs complete the production of a newspaper and its stories by printing them out. The print finishers then make sure that the physical copies are then cut, folded and binded for public use, finishing them off.

Publishing – Once the newspaper is finished, they are sent to publishers so that they are mass-produced and distributed across the area, be it locally or nationally.

Marketing – Through advertising, the marketing department grabs the public’s attention by using copywriters and marketers. The sales team then evaluate how successful they are in their newspaper.