LA Observed reports that columnist Tim Rutten, environmental writer Margot Roosevelt and NBA writer Mark Heisler are among the staffers laid off by the Times. About a dozen newsroom layoffs are expected and poor ad revenues are said to be to blame.
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Unless there is a late surge, LAT layoffs much smaller than expected. Originally 60, then downsized to 25 after freelance and other budgets were gutted. Now final count looks to be in the teens, with several veterans (and big paychecks) either stepping out or being shown the door.
Jerry Crowe also out from sports.
I thought things were looking up with the announcement of the Pasadena Sun?
So the Times gets rid of the greats, Rutten and Crow, jettisons their excellent book review freelancers - i.e. Steve Ryfle, Salter Reynolds -- and keeps the same old news-side drones? Wow, more nails in the velvet coffin.
The velvet coffin left the building 15 years ago or longer. Ad revenues less than expected? Who is doing their budgets, the same twits who do ours in Washington? Of course ad revenues are less than expected, they are and will continue to be due to the fact that the powers that be still expect an ad revenue comeback...they're wrong again.
Now LAT only has 4 million journalists left. How will they ever put out a paper?
So, Gary, you guys had Rutten on today. Any insights before or after the on air?
Yet they find ways to pay bonuses
Tell us Ronnie what the union will do about it?
Hey, I like a good union bashing comment as much as anyone, and, only because as said countless of times by countless of others, they are useless.
But, other than union bashing and Lang screw ups, not much else going on here. I guess they are both such low hanging fruit, not worth the effort to comment elsewhere.
And, frankly, they both really, really, deserve it.
It would be a disappointment if this site dies out. LAObserved has stopped covering the media - way behind on the LAT layoffs - no one ever bothered to compile the whole list (Thomas Maugh III anyone?) As for the immense consolidation about to happen across SoCal newspapers, no one is following it at all. David Shaw used to drive me nuts, but he never would have let things pass like this. No one on Riverside financial problems and perennial Media News cutbacks. No one looking at the sad sack Platinum operation in San Diego.
I don't know the metrics of this site, probably narrow and deep. It is educational to read and look at other points of view on the industry from current and past employees within the industry.
It would be a shame to se this site wither away. But, habits take a while to form and they are easily cut. Let's keep this site going.
The 8/10 post by LAObserved about Thomas Maugh leaving the Times makes it seem like this is the first in a new wave of departures. There is a push to get more bodies out the door by the end of the month, but Maugh's name was on the list that came out with the recent round that included Rutten. I have no doubt he cut a different deal, but internally, Maugh leaving is very old news.
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