Monday, February 23, 2009

February 24, 2009 News



LA Times layoffs include Image section writer Monica Corcoran, per LA Observed.


Daily News layoffs include TV critic David Kronke, per Gary Scott's blog. LA Observed reports late Monday that remaining entertainment writer Greg Hernandez is laid off as well.


Leticia Buckley draws our attention to free-lance arts writer Debra Levine's arts Arts Meme blog.


Don't know any details about this, but apparently Alan Rich has replaced Donna Perlmutter as City Beat's classical music writer.


Publication of Vergudo Monthly magazine "has been suspended" as of the February issue. Arroyo Monthly, with editor Irene Lacher, is still in place. Both are owned by the company that publishes City Beat and Pasadena Weekly.


"Reader-friendly" and "relevant" do not, apparently, mean what they used to. The Daily News ran this note to readers on Monday.

You will notice changes in the Daily News beginning with today's edition. For starters, we have redesigned the newspaper to make it more reader-friendly. To save on newsprint costs and adjust to the current adverse economic climate, we are making the following changes to our format:

On Mondays and Tuesdays, you will find the comics, puzzles, TV grid and advice columns in the front section. Dilbert appears on A2 on Mondays. There will be no dedicated Business or Opinion page on Mondays, but both will return on Tuesday.
Wednesday through Sunday, the L.A. LIFE section returns with comics, TV and advice columns and other features. Dining coverage continues on Wednesday and health coverage moves to Thursday.

We thank you for your loyal support as we confront this troubled economy. We are committed to producing a relevant local news report that is focused on the San Fernando Valley.


Just to be an equal-opportunity grumbler, I'll mention that I'm no longer a devoted reader of the LA Times' shell-of-its-former-self LA Now blog.

On the other hand, I will say that I actually read most of what was in the February LA Times Magazine and found it pretty well done.