What is the biggest nightmare for an editor of a newspaper? An error that goes in print, anyone would agree. But what if the error is shouting out of the paper as soon as open the fold. Just imagine what the editor who gave a final go to the page would be going through.
In what (hopefully) would have been an inadvertent error, a local paper in the United Kingdom Cambridge news published the paper with a lead headline as :"100 pt splash heading here."
The sub heading says: "This is a strap over two decks with a cross reference to a"...
The dummy text was printed in place of what was to be a story with a headline: "_2m for 'sex lair' school" in reference to a story printed on page 11 of the newspaper.
Seeing the faux pas in print, reads took to Twitter having a laugh over the error.
YAAASSSSSS! Got my copy of yesterday's @CambridgeNewsUK thanks to @kulinauk. I like to save memorable newspapers throughout my life. #LoveMyNewspaper pic.twitter.com/oaTBphAlY0
- Evan Donovan (@EvanDonovan) December 7, 2017
As a former front page editor, that hurts so much I nearly want to vomit!!
- John Marston (@JMarston) December 7, 2017
Sorry this terrible mistake happened, but... had it not been for it, I would never have heard about you!
- Pascale Salvatore (@harriedhsmama) December 7, 2017
Embrace this marvellous PR opportunity! Make some good come out of it.
- Sh@un Pickles (@shaunPtron) December 6, 2017
The newspaper apologised for the error calling it a technical glitch. "Due to a technical problem, the main headline did not appear on the Cambridge edition, although the correct one was printed in the Cambourne edition of the paper," it said.
An apology to our readers after the error on today's front page https://t.co/VVIyv2YzRW
- Cambridge News (@CambridgeNewsUK) December 6, 2017
Twitter, in fact, asked them not to stress over it
Apology not appropriate. Should laugh about it. You are the only ones taking it seriously. The rest of us find it amusing.
- Alan Cowie (@Cowie9) December 7, 2017
Don't take it seriously, no one else has! Excellent marketing for the paper! Maybe revisit your QA processes though ;) Thanks for the laugh
- Jennifer O'Sullivan (@Jennosul) December 6, 2017
Accidents happen and often turn out to be positives - huge exposure for your paper, a giggle for some of us on a grey day, and a chance to review the process. Inadvertantly winning all round.
- Damien Cross (@DC_F1) December 6, 2017
Please go easy on the person responsible. This happens all the time, and in print it's rarely one person's fault.
- Cliff (@Cliff) December 6, 2017
Cambridge news, we certainly hope you go easy on the person who made the error too!
