Kipling Named Times’ O.C. Editor

Richard Kipling, a veteran Los Angeles Times editor, has been named editor of the paper’s Orange County edition. Kipling, 57, heads an edition that employs more than 80 reporters, editors, photographers and artists based in Costa Mesa. For the past 10 years, he has headed The Times’ editorial training program for minorities.

“The edition is committed to doing Times-quality journalism,” Kipling said. “That’s what we’re about.”

John Carroll, editor of The Times, said Kipling was chosen because of his background in local news and in developing journalists.

“The coverage of Orange County is an extremely high priority for the paper, and that’s why we’re putting someone of Richard’s caliber in that job,” Carroll said.

Kipling came to The Times in 1984 as city editor of the former San Diego edition.

In 1989, he became the paper’s assistant editor for hiring, working in Los Angeles.

In 1992, he was appointed director of the Minority Editorial Training Program.

Kipling will finish his duties as head of the Metpro program in July, dividing his time between the two jobs until then.

Kipling previously worked as an editor at the San Diego Union, a California correspondent for an arm of Congressional Quarterly and as senior editor of Politics Today magazine.

He received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from UC Santa Barbara. He began studies toward a doctorate in government and philosophy at Claremont Graduate School.

The edition’s previous editor, Lennie La Guire, has been named the paper’s entertainment editor.

Jack Robinson has been named city editor of the edition. Robinson, who came to The Times from the Riverside Press Enterprise in 1997, is currently Metro assignment editor in Los Angeles.