When reporters would sit down for some latte and start griping about how unimaginative those ignoramuses on the
copy desk are, I sometimes couldn't keep my mind from wandering.
The May, 1992 QUILL reported in an update brief that Sandy Nelson, a reporter for the Morning News Tribune in Tacoma, Washington, had been reassigned to the night
copy desk after her editors discovered her involvement with a local campaign aimed at securing antidiscrimination laws for lesbians and gays.
McClatchy was not the only publisher announcing cutbacks last week: the Star-Tribune of Minneapolis, which exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late September, is apparently eliminating its
copy desk.
While each daily still maintains unique elements, the layout is similar enough so the
copy desk can easily fit wire stories with little hassle across all four papers.
Two years ago, for example, the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer in Kentucky switched its
copy desk from five eight-hour days a week to four 10-hour days.
Finally, I suggest one technique for writers who fear the
copy desk and its alleged tendency to slash kickers: Identify an alternate target, a paragraph or section they prefer to sacrifice to save the ending.
Earlier, Sciacqua was on the
copy desk at the Long Beach Press-Telegram, which she joined fresh out of college in 1993.
Green has been at The Star since 2001 and most recently was senior editor for planning, which put her in charge of the Star's
copy desk, night production and newsroom planning.
The report stated: "The casualties include: Deputy Managing Editor Paul Moore, Editorial Page Editor Ann LoLordo, Op-Ed Editor Larry Williams, Med/Science Editor Patricia Fanning, Sports editors Ray Frager and George VanDaniker,
Copy Desk Chief John McIntyre, Systems Editor Steve Auerweck, three bureau chiefs (leaving none), Regional Editor Jay Apperson, and Photo Assigning Editor Chuck Weiss.
*At the Long Beach Press-Telegram, the paper's top two jobs -- publisher and managing editor -- were eliminated last week and the design department and
copy desk functions were moved to the Daily Breeze in Torrance, Calif.; both papers are part of the California Newspapers Partnership.
"The layoffs as planned would come primarily from the newsrooms, specifically from the photo and graphic arts departments and the
copy desk. The company also plans to cut six positions in advertising."
Earlier in his career, Kennedy was managing editor of Georgia's Augusta Chronicle and
copy desk chief and news editor at The Vindicator in Youngstown, Ohio.