New York Times copy editors were just told how to (try to) keep their jobs

As The New York Times makes cuts on its copy desk to shift the balance of the newsroom to reporters, it’s looking for staffers with all the staples of traditional copy editing plus refined technical know-how and an “interest in changing/developing technologies.”

Earlier this morning, an email went out to the staff of The New York Times that outlined how the newsroom will select for its downsized editing operation. It also laid out a new editorial workflow designed to fit the reduced staff.

“Going forward, editors on news and features desks will be responsible for all aspects of a story, through the various drafts all the way to a polished version ready for digital publication,” wrote Charlotte Behrendt in a memo to staffers.

Candidates who apply for the retooled editing jobs will interview with one or more members of a newsroom hiring committee, which will make its choices based on aptitude in a series of skills related to news judgement and technical proficiency, according to the memo. They’re aiming to finish the process by July 15.

Earlier today, an op-ed distributed by the News Guild of New York, which represents employees at The New York Times, argued that the cuts could jeopardize the credibility of the company.

“It comes down to accuracy, to a news organization’s track record of getting even the smallest details right. When typos and misspellings jump off a page, readers are more likely to wonder what else is wrong,” the op-ed read.

Here’s the full memo: