In a newspaper, the editorial board usually consists of the editorial page editor and editorial writers. Some newspapers include other personnel as well.

Editorial boards for magazines may include experts in the subject area that the magazine focuses on, and larger magazines may have several editorial boards grouped by subject. The executive editorial board may oversee these subject boards, and usually includes the executive editor and representatives from the subject focus boards.

Editorial boards meet on a regular basis to discuss the latest news and opinion trends and discuss what the newspaper should say on a range of issues.

They will then decide who will write what editorials and for what day. When such an editorial appears in a newspaper, it is considered the institutional opinion of that newspaper. At some newspapers, the editorial board will also review wire service and syndicated columns for inclusion on the editorial page or op-ed page.

Some newspapers, particularly small ones, do not have an editorial board, choosing instead to rely on the judgment of a single editorial page editor.

Book and magazine publishers will often use their editorial boards to review or select manuscripts or articles, and sometimes to check facts. Book publishers may also make use of editorial boards, using subject experts to select manuscripts.