Copy editors — in addition to helping ensure the factual accuracy, propriety and readability of what goes into the newspaper — are the ones who actually write the headlines, photo captions, promos and other display type. (Since most newspapers laid off their proofreaders two decades ago, most copy editors now are also responsible for checking proofs as well.)

It is true that any competent proofreader could have caught this error, and it does give one pause to think that the L.A. Times (the L.A. Times!) would have ever allowed these sheets out of the building.

But in the latest rounds of newsroom cuts nationwide, copy desks have taken severe hits. Today, most copy editors don’t even have time to actually READ everything that goes into the paper, let alone do an adequate job of editing.

It should come as no surprise that when newspapers stop paying people to write headlines, headlines don’t get written. The war on copy editing is part of the drive to kill off newspapers by sacrificing the quality of the content. Expect to see a lot more of this over the next few years as print breathes its last gasp.

This was the subhead for Susan King’s article on production designer Robert Boyle, “He’s a legend by design”:

“Robert Boyle created the look for some of the 19th century’s iconic films…”

I’m sure we all remember his work in such classics of the 1800’s as “The Wolf Man” and “Shadow of a Doubt”.

Your underwear is showing….