[1] An assignment editor often fields calls from the public, who give news tips, or information about a possible story or event to be covered.
Those assignments are often determined based on the reporter's experience, skills, and his/her beat (e.g., police, courts, schools, city hall, county, etc.).
An assignment editor often has a minimum of one year of experience working for a particular news organization and a number of years of experience working in journalism, usually as a line or copy editor, or even a staff writer.
An assignment editor is expected to be well versed in journalistic standards and ethics and have good knowledge of the community in which he/she works and lives.
The position is that of a commissioning editor, and its responsibilities usually entail the day-to-day management of staff writers, beat reporters, and correspondents, procuring original content from freelance writers, and managing the daily "budget meeting".