hovedskribent

Hovedskribent is a Norwegian term used in journalism and media to denote the lead writer or chief author responsible for one or more main pieces in a publication. The role may apply to a person who writes the lead article for a newspaper issue, the primary author of a section, or a journalist charged with coordinating and producing the central content for a given edition or platform.

Responsibilities typically include planning coverage, assigning stories to reporters, writing or editing the lead piece and other major articles, ensuring factual accuracy and source attribution, overseeing style and tone for the section, and coordinating with editors, photographers, and designers to deliver a cohesive product. The hovedskribent may also review copy from other writers and enforce deadlines and editorial standards. In some outlets the position is a content leadership role within a particular beat rather than a formal managerial post.

Relation to other roles: the hovedskribent is distinct from the redaktør (editor-in-chief) or redaksjonell leder, which concerns overall oversight and governance. It may overlap with roles such as senior journalist, columnist, or content editor, depending on the newsroom structure. Not all publications use the title; in many outlets the same functions are described as 'leder for en seksjon' or simply 'journalist'.

Etymology: the term is a compound of hoved (main, chief) and skribent (writer), and is used in Norwegian to denote the leading writer of a publication or section.