Over and Out - December 7, 2011

Dear Friends,

I've recently come to the conclusion that writing my PR MEDIA MOVES blog in a timely fashion no longer fits comfortably in my schedule. An enormous work load has kept me from posting since July, and certainly months-old "news" serves no one!

I appreciate all the wonderful comments you've sent my way. If anything changes in my ability to share media updates, you will be the first to know.

Thanks, and happy holidays to all!

Laura

July 8, 2011 NEWS

See "PERSPECTIVE" (below) for my
"review" of LACMA's Tim Burton show.

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NEWS FROM THE PAST WEEKS:

The LA Times weekly Brand X tabloid folds. LA Observed's story is HERE.

I've just learned that Brand X Editor Krista Simmons is replacing the retiring Joyce Rudolph as Glendale News Press features editor on July 29. And an auto reply from Brand X Blog Editor David Greenwald notes that "I will be pursuing future opportunities as well as freelancing for the Times. You can reach me at rawkblog@." [via gmail]

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944 magazine also folds (except the Vegas edition), per an email from Kira Coplin, who can now be reached at kiracoplin via gmail.

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Layoffs at the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group include Pasadena Star News City Editor Hector Gonzalez.

According to GARY SCOTT:
a) his position will not be filled. Metro Editor Frank Girardot will continue as the primary editor for the paper.
b) other newsroom employees laid off: Eric Reed, Karen Lee, Coye Sloan and Steve Wytucki.

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San Marino Tribune Society Editor Liz Hezlep departs, with no replacement as of last week.

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So does KCRW's Nic Harcourt, with LOTS OF sound and fury.

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John Polakoff replaces Greg Hernandez at Los Angeles Business Journal; more on the latter's departure HERE.

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Daily News City Editor John Miller and his wife are moving to Kuwait in August. LA Observed story HERE.


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A new music editor arrives at LA WEEKLY in mid-July.

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Randall Roberts, LA Times music writer, becomes pop music critic, replacing Ann Powers, who left the paper some time ago. More from Fishbowl LA HERE.

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MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES AND UPDATES

1. from LA Stage's Deborah Behrens:

LA Stage Editor-in-Chief Lee Melville is taking a much deserved summer sabbatical from editorial duties from June 1 to September 5. Lee plans to pursue some personal projects as well as travel to visit friends and family.

In his absence, I will be handling day-to-day operations including managing the editorial calendar and writer assignments. As before, general story pitches and press releases should be directed to pitches@ with "First Person" stories and more personal correspondence sent directly to dbehrens@ during this time.

Addresses end with lastagealliance.com

Deborah also notes that Julio Martinez's new gmail address is julima720@ and that news items or pitches for his LA Stage column should be sent directly to him.


2. from free-lance writer Katherine Spiers:

LOGO is relaunching its travel site, Trip Out Travel, and I'll be at the helm as editor!

I'll be posting travel stories for savvy readers, focusing mainly on urban destinations, but sometimes going off the grid with stories like The South's Top 5 Hippie Beaches, by Hadley Meares.

I'd love to get some industry and/or celebrity interviews as well. If you have any clients who can speak to great locations in the city where they live, are from, or visit regularly, I'd love to know about them.

Reach her via gmail: katherinespiers


3. from free-lance writer Elise Thompson

The LA Beat at www.thelosangelesbeat.com is a group blog that focuses on local culture, entertainment, food and events... Heavily weighted towards music, the blog also includes comic strips, CD and movie reviews, photo essays, restaurant reviews and all-out rants. Writers include past reader favorites from popular group blogs like LAist, Gamefront and Metroblogs, as well as quirky independent blogs such as LethalDose and MyLandlordisCrazy.

We are actively encouraging submissions from well-known musicians, artists, chefs, photographers and professional writers who are new to blogging.

Reach her via gmail: eliseisrad


4. San Francisco-based free-lance writer Jennie Nunn...

...writes for The San Francisco Chronicle (both print and blog), Sunset, San Francisco Magazine, C Magazine, Juli B, Gotham, Capitol File, Luxe Interiors and Design, California Homes, 805 Living, California Homes Magazine, Anthology Magazine, Westways, and a few others. She covers lifestyle topics including fashion, beauty, travel, home and architecture, celebrity, health, fitness, and spa.

Reach her for pitches and assignments via gmail: jennie.nunn


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JOAN LUTHER, RIP

Joan gave me my start in PR, and I worked for her for a total of six years, including my first public relations job (in the early 1980s) and my last with a firm not my own (in the early 1990s). I was so lucky to have handled so many great clients while working with her. And I met untold numbers of press people and fellow publicists who remain friends today. The LA Times OBIT only begins to do justice to Joan's oversize personality.


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PERSPECTIVE... on life beyond work


The terrific PR folks at LACMA invited me to the Tim Burton show press preview, and I recommend you check it out well before it closes October 31.

A major retrospective, the exhibition spotlights Burton's work not only as a director but also as an artist, illustrator, photographer and writer. In a space that's navigable in an hour or so, you'll see drawings, paintings, photos, film and video works, storyboards, puppets, concept artworks, maquettes, costumes and art from some of his personal projects. Little known fact (at least to me): Burton was born in Burbank, and the exhibit plays off those roots with three sections, "Surviving Burbank," "Beautifying Burbank," and "Beyond Burbank." Interestingly, the presentation originated in New York, where it was organized by the Museum of Modern Art.

LACMA's got a vast calendar of related events through the fall, including screenings, storytellings and apparently even a costume party, with details to be announced.

If you haven't been to the LA County Museum of Art lately, you might not even know that it's open until 8 pm daily (closed Wednesdays) and 9 pm Fridays. Evenings, in my opinion, are the best time to be there. Check out details and exhibit prices HERE. Or better yet, become a member, and visit free any time!

Let me add another shout out to the LACMA press office staff for a well-conceived press kit, especially the imaginative folder!

May 23, 2011 NEWS

Thanks to everyone who contacted me about the PR and administrative assistant help I needed, or referred potential candidates. I received a large number of inquiries from wonderfully qualified people.

I'm all set now, so I'm taking this part of the post down. Thanks again.

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Prolific writer Brenda Rees wants PR types to know about her website, Southern California Wildlife (www.socalwild.com), which is terrific and very well done. She writes:

SoCalWild is a news, resource and information about local wildlife that inhabit the Greater Los Angeles area. From blue whales to black bears, from butterflies to fish, we cover it all! We support those who support local wildlife issues from artists to conservationists and everyone in between...

... if PR folks represent clients who are tied into local wildlife (in any repsect!), they can email information, pitches, etc.

Her email address at socalwild.com is editor@


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Earlier this month, Curbed LA announced a new editor to replace Dakota Smith, who's now a staff writer at the Daily News.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the dancefloor Adrian Glick Kudler, the new senior editor at Curbed LA. Adrian, a longtime contributor to this site, is overseeing an expanded Curbed LA that continues to feature the work of editors Neal Broverman, Pauline O'Connor, along with that of several new contributors that will debut soon in the wake of editor Dakota Smith's departure.

Read more about it HERE.


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From LA Observed on May 18:

The Los Angeles Daily Journal has undergone a new bout of turnover in recent weeks. A former staffer says the departures have included page designer Aris Davoudian, associate editor Michael Gottlieb and entertainment law reporter Jean-Luc Renault.

The post also quotes from a memo announcing...

…Catherine Ho has taken a job at the Washington Post. This is a big blow for the Daily Journal. Cat came here a couple years ago and built the labor & employment beat into a model beat for the Daily Journal, writing first-rate stories on trends and developments in the practice that appeal to a statewide audience. Cat's departure is an occasion for happiness too. It shows how the Daily Journal can be a wonderful vehicle for a smart, driven reporter to build a great career.

Full story HERE.


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Congratulations to Daily News reporter Rick Orlov, who "received the Valley Interfaith Council's first-ever Journalism Leadership Award..." According to THIS Daily News story, "The awards recognize the best in courage, compassion and service, on behalf of the people of Los Angeles."


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Theatre publicist extraordinaire Kenny Werther is producer of a well-reviewed show at Los Angeles Theatre Center called "The Good Boy," and it has one more weekend of performances. Check it out this Thursday through Sunday.

May 4, 2011 NEWS

May marks the the 4th anniversary of this blog!

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Curbed LA Editor Dakota Smith moves over to the Daily News.


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Gary Scott reports on a bunch of position eliminations at the Long Beach Press Telegram, some of which will be assumed by the Daily Breeze. From his post:

The P-T's features department will be eliminated, which means Al Rudis is out of a job.

Another report from the Long Beach post has additional information. It names Leo Smith as the LBPT features editor, but I believe Smith is at the Daily Breeze, so check that out before you delete him from your database.


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LA Observed and Fishbowl LA both had posts on Elvis Mitchell's departure as Movieline's film critic.


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LA Observed also announced the debut of Donna Perlmutter's dance review contributions to its Native Intelligence section.


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The Hollywood Reporter had an interesting piece titled "12 Talent Bookers Who Keep New York Talking" about the folks who book guests on shows including "Today," "The View," "Good Morning America" and more.

April 19, 2011 News

Christina Elston replaces Carolyn Graham as editor of L.A. Parent.


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Got this email auto-reply from Seth Walls, formerly an arts writer at Newsweek:

Hello! April 14 is/was my last day at the Newsweek Daily Beast Company. Thanks to everyone (who knew me) for the things that were good (which were many). Let's all promise to keep in touch via the various social networking platforms that also make us semi-sick of the world.

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Beverly Hills Courier update:

1) News Editor Adam Popescu is no longer on the masthead
2) Tricia Arend is announced in the April 25 issue as a new staff writer
3) Marcia Hobbs' title in the masthead now says "Associate Publisher and Editor."


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Here are some excerpts from a press release I got today:

At a time when magazines and print publications are giving way to their digital counterparts, C A R S O N Magazine is launching its first issue this May which not only showcases the power of extraordinary journalism, but also features David Carson’s iconic graphic design, vision and artistry. Packing the visual excitement that carries back to the early days of such trendsetting publications as Interview and Ray Gun, combined with provocative and distinctive journalism, C A R S O N is both thought-provoking and stimulating, while providing an artistic vision which separates it from any magazines past or current.

“We have set out to create a magazine people will actually want to hold, turn the pages, read and share with others,” explains Alex Storch, Editor-in-Chief. “We all love the immediacy of digital assets, but our goal is to bring back the visual excitement a reader had when they picked up an issue of Ray Gun, while providing the thought-provoking reading featured in such iconic magazines as Vanity Fair and the New Yorker. With each issue, we are going to give writers and visionaries a home on the printed page. We will pair their stories and essays with cutting-edge art and graphic design; the result is a truly new vision for a magazine in the 21st century.”

There's more HERE on their site.

April 7, 2011 News

Glad to hear this news from Saul Levine's Mt. Wilson FM Broadcasters, quoting the press release:

Beginning Monday, April 4th, Southern California's longtime leading classical radio station, "K-MOZART," returns by popular demand. Broadcast in "Triple-Play," K-MOZART programming will be available at KMZT-AM 1260, KKGO-FM 105.1 HD2 in full digital FM stereo, and www.KMozart.com, making it the only commercial all-classical radio station in the Southland. Smartphone streaming apps will follow shortly. The new lineup will include K-MOZART veterans Gary Hollis, John Santana, Nick Tyler and P.J. Ochlan - all joined by musical celebrity David Benoit, making his radio hosting debut. A five-time Grammy nominee and world-renowned pianist and composer, Benoit also currently serves as conductor of the Asia America Symphony Orchestra. Along with free live streaming, the all-new www.KMozart.com will feature daily arts news, calendar listings and multimedia content. The site will also provide dedicated San Francisco information and content for recently disenfranchised Bay Area classical listeners.

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From Cision:

Kathryn Romeyn is now deputy editor at Los Angeles Confidential, moving from Riviera Orange County, where she had been an associate editor since 2007.

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From Media Bistro:

Time magazine's managing editor Rick Stengel announced… that Jessica Winter has been hired as Time's new arts editor, both for the pages in the magazine's Culture section as well as for arts coverage on Time.com.

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Thanks to Flo Selfman for passing along these items from the LBN Insider:

Page Six editor Emily Smith has tapped a deputy, Ian Mohr, to join the gossip desk at the New York Post as her number two. Mohr has close ties to the film world as a former box office reporter for Variety and New York bureau chief for the Hollywood Reporter.

Style editor Laurie Pike and Los Angeles magazine have parted ways. She's headed to Paris to tend to her creation, The Paris Blog, and pursue other projects.

March 16, 2011 NEWS

HUFFINGTON POST/AOL HIRES CULTURE/ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Selected paragraphs from TechCrunch story:

John Montorio has been named Culture and Entertainment Editor for Aol's Huffington Post Media Group content division.

Montorio is a 30-year veteran of two of the country's biggest newspapers - the New York Times and LA Times - but that's not why his hiring is news-worthy. It's news-worthy because it represents a dramatic shift in favour of real journalism within Aol.

Hiring someone with Montorio's skills means one of two things for the Huffington Post: either a bold step away from Bieber-filled headlines towards quality coverage of the arts, culture and entertainment - or a train-wreck waiting to happen as Armstrong and the Aol bean counters try to force their "Lady Gaga pantsless in Paris" agenda.

Full post HERE.

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LOTS ABOUT AOL (and publicists!) IN THE NEWS...

...including THIS from Fishbowl LA, also reported elsewhere, headlined "Moviefone Defends Asking TechCrunch Writer to Appease Movie Studio by Altering Story."

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Julio Martinez's "Arts in Review" program on KPFK moves this week from Wednesdays to Fridays.


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OLDER NEWS

Got this auto reply from American Theatre Magazine:

Thanks for your message. Randy Gener is no longer on staff at Theatre Communications Group. Please redirect all communications regarding American Theatre magazine to editor-in-chief Jim O'Quinn at jim@ or managing editor Nicole Estvanik Taylor at ntaylor@.

Email addresses are tcg.org.


Fishbowl LA broke the NEWS that Angeleno Magazine hires Lesley McKenzie as its new editor-in-chief. She was previously deputy editor of Los Angeles Confidential.


LA Observed has LA Times television reporter Maria Elena Fernandez's resignation email, which READS in part, "I cannot work under these hostile work conditions anymore. Calendar has become a complete nightmare to work in, and it is just time to go."


Fernandez also SAID MORE to Fishbowl LA.

February 24, 2011 NEWS

LA Observed reported this Tuesday:

[LA Weekly]'s new arts and culture editor will be Zachary Pincus-Roth. He starts March 7... The arts and culture beat… excludes film and music, which have their own editors.

Full post HERE.


More, older, from LA Observed:

LA Times metro writer Carla Hall is now an editorial writer. Memo and more HERE.

and

Anthea Raymond has been named editor of Echo Park Patch.

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Thanks to Alexia Haidos for passing along this note from Crystal Meers at Daily Candy:

... I'm very excited to introduce you to Evelyn Crowley, DailyCandy's new Los Angeles editor... Please direct all L.A. matters her way. Feel free to e-mail me with stories that you see fit for our Everywhere edition (food, fashion, beauty, travel, services, arts, entertaining, culture, entertainment) and on the web or just really fun stuff that you think I need to know about that's happening around town. You know I love to know about everything.
Yours truly,
Crystal

Contact: 12200 W. Olympic Blvd. Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90064, 310-954-0278 x 185

Email @dailycandy.com is ecrowley


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Got this auto-reply from LA Opinion's Entertainment Editor Victoria Enfante: Hi. I'm on maternity leave until the end of June. If you need assistance please contact Josep Parera.

… and this auto-reply from Phil Gallo: If you are contacting me regarding music coverage, I am now working for Billboard magazine. I can be reached at phil.gallo [billboard.com]


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Thanks to Sarah Spitz for passing this along from Jade Chang:

As of January 18, 2011, I am no longer with Modern Luxury. I will still be covering many of the same topics that I covered at Angeleno and on ModLux.com-if you have a pitch or question you can contact me.

Her @sbcglobal.net address is jade.chang


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Patt Diroll's party column and "Social Calendar" have been moved from Thursdays to Mondays in the Pasadena Star News.


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San Gabriel Valley Tribune photo editor Bernardo Alps has been laid off, according to THIS story, which also has links to another about salary cuts and furloughs at the LA Newspaper Group (which also includes Daily News, Daily Breeze, etc.)

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Media Bistro reports:

Jen Yamato has been named West Coast editor at Movieline. She had been a film critic at Movies.com

and

LA Times Pop Music critic Ann Powers is leaving the LA Times in early March to work for NPR Music. Memo HERE.


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KPCC/NPR's Steve Julian is introducing a new venture, an I Support Theatre restaurant discount card that provides theatre companies a much needed fundraising boost. According the Steve, "It gives theatregoers an opportunity to save money at a neighborhood eatery. And it rewards restaurants that offer discounts by bringing in new customers."

If any publicists out there are interested in hooking up clients with this opportunity, get in touch with Steve via the "Contact" page on this site: www.isupporttheatre.net .

January 18, 2011 NEWS

EXCLUSIVE:
Pitching Zach Behrens, editor-in-chief at KCET.org's UpDaily

The ultra-affable Zach Behrens gave me some pitching insight for UpDaily (he's editor-in-chief) on KCET.org. UpDaily is the section of the web site featuring blogs, which currently number three: SoCal Focus, The Public Kitchen and Climate Oversight.

"We're looking to BE public media, and that means not just following everyone's news story of the day," he says. "We're exploring rich stories that are not being talked about, or we're adding the public media twist to things that are hot topics. We're not going to be the crime blotter, that's not our role."

Zach tells me that SoCal Focus is the main blog, meant over time to become a daily destination for news, arts and culture, policy and the people and places of Southern California. Unlike LA Observed, LAIst and Curbed, UpDaily is not just about Los Angeles but also covers the 10 counties in KCET's broadcast reach (up to San Luis Obispo and down to Imperial counties).

For example, he points to the piece did on an annual tradition in Solvang: a fire "where residents, and even some travelers from afar, haul their Christmas trees into a large pile. Large, as in some 500 trees." The story portrays what goes on in the community, where the tradition came from and how it developed as well as the effect it had on the environment.

He's also doing a lot of history, partnering with LA as Subject, a member archive based at USC. (Examples: Rose Parade history, Jerry Brown Then and Now.)

He usually ties his posts to a topic that's being talked about, but he's also focusing on news stories that are NOT being talked about. UpDaily was among the first to report on the controversy surrounding La Plaza, where "Human remains found at a downtown L.A. museum construction site have prompted a state commission to request the project be stopped while an investigation determines if they are of American Indian origin or not."

Another signature series is one that began recently that's taking people through Compton one day at a time, "looking at why there is so much negative coverage of the city when there's so much that's positive there."

As for The Public Kitchen, it's a blog about experiencing food, and every post has a recipe and a story. Zach calls it "Your living, breathing Southern California cookbook," A recent post spotlighted farmers who sell their produce at farmers markets and what they cook for themselves and their families at home.

When asked "who is your audience?" he responded, "Definitely people who are interested Southern California as a place, a broad range of people and a diverse group. Meaning not just diversity of geography but also but diversity of culture."

Pitch him BY CATEGORY at these @kcet.org email addresses:

arts/culture:
culturedesk@

food/restaurants:
fooddesk@

everything else:
newsdesk@


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From LA Observed:

Sean Smith is leaving as Los Angeles bureau chief of Entertainment Weekly to serve overseas in the Peace Corps - for two years.

More HERE.


and

Michael Schneider, TV editor for Variety, is leaving to be Los Angeles bureau chief for TV Guide.

More HERE.


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From the Beverly Hills Courier:

The Beverly Hills Courier is pleased to announce reporter Marla Schevker has joined its staff. Schevker joins The Courier after her tenure at the Beverly Hills Weekly, where she covered issues such as the Westside Subway Extension and Measure 2P.

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Thanks to the intrepid Libby Huebner for passing this change along for email addresses at Frontiers magazine: it's now @frontiersweb.com (formerly frontierspublishing.com).