OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL
Just got back from the concluding concert of the 2008 Ojai Music Festival, which was fantastic. Tim Mangan's blog has some wonderful coverage, but you have to experience it in person. There's nothing like sitting under the trees in Libbey Bowl with the sun spotlighting succeeding audience rows, the birds (and random sirens) chiming in, and music I'd probably never choose to hear anywhere else – but in Ojai it's magic. Even the sunsets are different in Ojai.
Make room in your 2009 schedule NOW for next year's event, June 9 – 14.
top photo: Bob Millardbottom photo: Hugh Stegman
LA TIMES
This joyous news, with links, from Media Bistro's Revolving Door newsletter:
A panicked Sam Zell has pressed the self-destruct button at Tribune Publishing, having announced a plan yesterday that calls for steep cuts in the number of news pages, printed pages, and the journalists producing those pages across its various newspapers. From here on out, the ratio of ad-to-edit pages has been capped at 50-50, meaning the Los Angeles Times will begin slashing 82 news pages from the paper each week. Eager to prove that his blood runs colder than even Rupert Murdoch's, Zell had his No. 2, COO Randy Michaels, explicate on a conference call with investors and press that the average journalist at the LA Times produces 51 pages per year, while his or her counterparts in Hartford, Conn. produce 300 pages. You can draw your own conclusions, but they seem pretty clear to us: what Tribune needs is harder working reporters (from a quantity-over-quality point-of-view) and fewer of them. As Michaels put it on the call: "If you work hard and are producing a lot for us, everything is great." And if not, you're dead and you just don't know it yet...
LA Observed has Sam Zell's latest idea-filled memo and some staff updates here.
Also, this from LA Observed:
As Mark Lacter reported last night at LA Biz Observed, longtime business reporter Thomas Mulligan is fleeing to Sitrick and Company and assistant business editor Anne Reifenberg is jumping to Bloomberg in Los Angeles. Jim Newton submitted his resignation as editor of the editorial pages earlier this week. And it looks as if the down-to-monthly Sunday magazine will be dropped entirely.
CITY BEAT NEWS
Here's a follow up to the City Beat news in my last post.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
More from Media Bistro's Revolving Door newsletter:
New staffers at the WALL STREET JOURNAL's soon-to-debut glossy magazine are assistant features editor Kate Auletta and Weekend Journal travel editor Janelle Carrigan, who's the features editor.
Modern Luxury Group launches MANHATTAN, a controlled-circulation bi-monthly with Richard Martin as editor-in-chief, James Heidenry as executive editor, and Lauren DeCarlo as senior editor. They're located at # 7 W. 51st Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10019.
VARIETY IS INDEED MOVING ITS OFFICES
So says this piece in the LA Times. Let me just add that any building owned and renovated/restored by ultra-cool developer Wayne Ratkovich (The Wiltern/Pellissier building) is an extra-amazing location.
LA TIMES ARTS EVENT ON JUNE 18
Calling all Los Angeles artists and arts organizations!
Come meet the staff of the L.A. Times who cover your work and learn more about how decisions on coverage are made for their print and online reports.
This event is hosted by the L.A. Times and presented by Terence McFarland, LA Stage Alliance, and Michelle Mierz, L.A. Contemporary Dance.
WHEN: Wednesday June 18th
Doors open at 4:00 pm
Program 4:30-6:00 pm
WHERE: L.A. Times offices, 202 West First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012-4105. Enter on Spring Street and check in with security. They will have your name if you RSVP via the link below. We are unable to validate parking, however there are various street lots available.
RSVP (mandatory): [link removed, event is apparently full]
Please RSVP as soon as possible, space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. You will not be admitted to the event without a reservation for security purposes at the building.
Please forward this email to anyone you believe would be interested.
Regards,
Michelle Mierz
Co-founder and Executive Director
L.A. Contemporary Dance Company
www.ladanceco.org
