Charles Apple has an in-depth look today at the most recent wave of job cuts at Tribune Co. newspapers, much of which targets copy editors and designers. This is something you could see coming as soon as the Chicago Tribune started making pre-fab inside news modules a few months ago to be distributed to the other papers in the chain. I wholeheartedly agree with Charles on this sentiment:

As if newspapers didn’t have enough problems retaining readers as it is. One big advantage newspapers — and newspaper web sites! — have over a common blogger is their fact-checking, proofreading and accuracy safeguards.

And now we’re cutting back on those. Abso-effin’-lutely insane.

As I’ve written before, the brass at newspapers have been talking about how they are keeping as many boots on the ground as possible despite their layoffs. I pointed out in that post the fallacy of such thinking, and Charles’ sentiment goes right in line with that. People not familiar with newspapers or journalism, and even some reporters, don’t understand the value of copy editors and designers. There’s a hell lot more to their job than just catching typos and drawing boxes on a page, but preaching to the ignorant is a waste of time, and I will not do that.

Keep going down this road, and soon it will NOT be difficult to replace what newspapers do.