Sub editing a news article

What are the duties of a subeditor?
What skills must a subeditor have?
Why are subeditors, vital journalists?

A sub-editor will look at a specific article whereas the editor will look at the overall newspaper as a whole to check the flow etc.

Proof reading- check spelling, grammar, sentence and paragraph structure
Sense and style- ensure mode of address and language code is in keeping with paper, as well as ensuring enough context is present. Trimming article if necassary- either for quantity or quality reasons.
Editing quotes and readers' comments- shortening and formatting where necassary
Writing headlines- active voice, awareness of tense, some of 5ws, snappy
Writing stand first- first few lines of an article, usually in bold, elaborates on headline.

In addition, on your final piece of coursework, you will need to consider:
checking pictures and captions- accuracy and suitability
legal and regulatory compliance- IPSO, libel, media law
meeting the brief