In this study, we investigate the practice of news translation in order to examine the participation of actants who play a role in the production of a translation and who contribute to defining what translation is or should be. The conceptual framework applied in the study combines the generative semiotic theory and a hybrid methodological approach based on semiotic discourse analyses with textual corpora, think-aloud protocols with news editors and a survey among the readers of the translated texts. This triangulation of data sheds light on the publishing workflow and on the reception of translations, and helps understand how the various ways in which different actants conceptualize translation come together, which one prevails and on what grounds.