Whether  you  consider  layout  an  art  or  simply  a mechanical skill, it is clearly an involved, demanding function.  You  must  acquire  the  following  skills  to become a good layout editor: l l l l A  keen  news  sense  to  know  which  stories  to emphasize and how strongly to emphasize them A good working knowledge of typography An  understanding  of  graphic  design  principles and techniques A  familiarity  with  modem  newspaper  design techniques Layout duties on ship and station newspapers are usually  handled  by  the  editor,  associate  editor  and subordinate  editors  (sports,  leisure,  and  so  forth).  On large  commercial  dailies,  front-page  layout  is  usually done by one of the executive editors — managing editor, news   editor   or   copy   editor   —   to   ensure   top-level emphasis of particular stories and ideas. Other pages are done by department editors (sport, feature, editorial) and by copy editors. Remember:  your  layout  is  your  blueprint,  and  blue- prints are drawn to scale. So start by making up a standard layout sheet, showing the page with its columns drawn either to scale or to size. (A layout sheet of actual page size is the easiest to use.) The layout sheet should be marked for column widths. The top of each page should allow  space  for  showing  the  issue,  the  page  and  the section of the paper. The best way to indicate where a story goes is to write in the story slug (the short identi- fication line that goes right before the writer’s name on a piece of copy), as shown in figure 8-8. You can use keys for art and your headlines can be written in. COPY FITTING As a layout editor, you must be able to determine an approximate length, in column inches, of a story from typed  copy.  (A  column  inch  is  one  inch  of  copy, measured  down  the  column,  regardless  of  the  column width being used.) By making a few simple calculations, you  can  determine  beforehand  how  much  space  the typed copy will fill when it is set in type (on the basis of 2 3/8-inch or 14-pica-wide column — six picas equal one  inch).  For  most  10-point  type,  three  typewritten lines, 60 characters wide (on a regular 8 1/2-by 11-inch sheet of paper) equal one column inch of copy. If other than   10-point   body   type   is   used,   check   with   your publisher. Your publisher will provide for you a simple fitting  formula  for  all  sizes  and  styles  of  typefaces available, taking into consideration such things as varia- tions in column widths, differences in fonts, and so forth. Before forwarding your copy to the publisher, mark it  clearly  with  all  necessary  instructions  (guidelines)  for the typesetter. If the publisher is going to makeup the entire page from your layout plan, apiece of copy must contain  the  following  notations: l A key to its position in the layout (shown by the slug on the story and the slug on the dummy). Q  The  type  and  size  of  headline  according  to  a headline chart (see Chapter 9). l The specifics on the size and style of typeface (if it varies from the standard body type previously agreed upon between you and the publisher). l  The  column  width  (one  column,  two  columns, and  so  forth,  should  be  designated  by  picas  to avoid   confusion   with   column   inch   measure- ments). Once your layout is completed, you should be able to  relax.  A  good  publisher  can  make  up  your  pages exactly as you want them from your blueprint, as long as you have provided the necessary information. This  section  has  covered  layout  techniques  for offset printing, but most of the basic ideas covered here also can be applied to desktop publishing. CROPPING Cropping is used when you only want to reproduce a portion of a picture. Pictures are cropped for the size, emphasis   and   composition   desired.   They   are   also cropped  to  focus  on  one  specific  area  to  achieve  a desired effect in makeup. A picture can be cropped to show the hugeness or smallness of the topic. It can also be cropped to delete a dead area. Cropping Concerns As   a   public   affairs   practitioner,   your   first responsibility  is  to  make  sure  security,  accuracy, propriety  and  policy  are  not  violated  when  photographs are cropped. These areas are explained in the following text. SECURITY.—  During   exercises,   operational plans,  maps,  charts  and  equipment  can  be  compromised easily by a photographer. Access is usually limited and photographers  are  kept  away  from  secure  areas,  but breaches of security may occur in the heat of battle. As you have heard before, “Operational security is everyone’s business.” When cropping a photograph for reproduction in your newspaper, you should be aware especially  of  the  background  areas  that  might  reveal classified information. Remember — exercises test war plans, and those plans cannot be compromised. 8-9