Endredaktion

Endredaktion refers to the final editorial desk or department in journalism and publishing, responsible for the last review and approval of content before publication. It functions as the final quality gate between a manuscript and its public release and is a common term in German-speaking media and print publishing. In English contexts, comparable terms include copy desk or final editorial desk.

Typical tasks of the endredaktion include fact-checking and correction of errors, ensuring consistency in terminology and style, validating headlines and captions, and verifying image credits and copyright compliance. It also oversees adherence to editorial policies and legal requirements, including libel, privacy, and rights management. The endredaktion conducts a final read-through, consolidates the edition, and coordinates layout and production to ensure accuracy, readability, and coherence across the published material.

Organizationally, the endredaktion may be a separate team led by an Endredakteur or part of a larger editorial department. Its size and structure depend on the outlet; in smaller organizations, senior editors or the editor-in-chief may assume endredaktion duties. The endredaktion works closely with other units such as section editors, copy editors (Lektorat), proofreaders (Korrektorat), and legal/compliance teams.

With digital publishing increasingly dominant, the endredaktion also handles cross-platform consistency, metadata accuracy, and publication scheduling for online platforms, apps, and social media. Its overarching goal is to maintain editorial quality, legal safety, and brand coherence across formats.