March 10, 2008 News

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UPDATE ON WALL STREET JOURNAL'S GLOSSY MAG

WWD.com has an interview with Tina Gaudoin, editor of the Wall Street Journal's new quarterly glossy magazine, ever so imaginatively called WSJ, coming in the fall. Take this link to read the whole thing, but I quote here from the most relevant (to us) part:

Gaudoin said the magazine would be broad in scope, naming, as examples, commissioning your own artwork, managing a staff, and coverage of jewelry, fashion, cars and gadgets. ( The magazine is aimed at men and women. About a third of Journal readers are female.) The size of her staff has yet to be determined, she said, though it will likely be a mix of magazine veterans and existing Journal staffers. Nor could she say how large of a budget there would be for luxury magazine indulgences, like name-brand photographers and on-location shoots.

MORE JOB CUTS

Gary Scott's blog has this about the LANG group of papers comprised of the Pasadena Star News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Whittier Daily News, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, San Bernadino Sun, and Redland Daily Facts: Executive Editor Steve O'Sullivan is gone, and Frank Pine, senior managing editor at the San Bernardino Sun, becomes senior managing editor for the Inland Division (all the papers).

Quoted directly from Scott's blog is this list of no-longer-employed folks:

Elise Kleeman, science writer for the Pasadena Star-News

Emanuel Parker, a longtime staff writer at the Star-News who had recently transitioned into features at the San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Sharon Brawley, librarian at the San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Greg Andersen, staff photographer

Sean Moses, sports writer/copy editor

Rod Kamitsuka, copy editor/page designer

Steve O'Sullivan, executive editor, San Gabriel Valley News Group

Wes Hughes, columnist at the Sun

Paul Oberjuerge, sports columnist at the Sun

Michelle Rester, assistant city editor at the Sun

Brett Snow, staff photographer at the Sun

Gina Tenorio, night cops reporter at the Sun

Ellen Timothy, copy editor at the Sun

Marc Campos, staff photographer

George Paul, features reporter at the Bulletin

Adrianne Woodward, news assistant at the Bulletin

James Folmer, editor of the Redlands Daily Facts

Also, thanks to Bob Thomas for passing on this link to the Pasadena Star News's spin on the departure of O'Sullivan.


MORE LA TIMES STUFF

According to this at LA Observed, Leo Wollinsky heads up features at the LA Times to "provide managerial oversight" starting March 17, according to the memo from Editor Russ Stanton.

The Michael Calderone's Politco Media blog updates the LA Times buyout story, saying that the list of editorial staffers requesting the buyout will not necessarily be the way the layoffs play out.

March 5, 2008 News

DO YOU KNOW ANY OF THESE PEOPLE?

They've applied for the LA Times buyout, which means they will be leaving soon. Thanks to LA Observed for this list, and take this link to read the whole story.

Crust, Kevin--Calendar
Darling, Jill--poll
Fantazia, Joan--Features
Furlong, Tom--National
Green, Julie--Editorial pages
Hale, Liz--magazine designer
Hunt, Don--Metro
Kang, Connie--Metro
Krikorian, Greg--Metro
Kunitomi, Darrell--tour guide
Levin, Myron--Metro
Nazario, Sonia--project writer
Neal, Ron--features designer
Norwood, Robyn--Sports
Piccalo, Gina--Features
Pinkus, Susan--poll
Rabin, Jeff--Metro
Rasmussen, Cecilia--Researcher
Ricci, Jim--Metro
Ryon, Ruth--Real Estate
Sappell, Joel--project editor
Segal, Lewis--Calendar
Selvin, Molly--Business
Spano, John--Metro
Stewart, John--National
Walters, Jim--National
Weinstein, Henry--Metro
Welkos, Robert--Calendar
Willman, David--National
Yates, Nona--researcher

The Times finally changed the date on their editorial staff list to February 26 (it was labelled some time in July of last year until just recently even though changes had been made to it every so often). Guess they'll have to update it again very soon.


ON THE SUBJECT OF ARTS COVERAGE

In connection with the above, LA Times Dance Critic Lewis Segal's position was apparently eliminated, according to this. Thanks to the long-distance Rachelle Roe for passing this along.

Take a look at OC Register Theatre Critic Paul Hodgins's blog about newspaper arts coverage. Maybe we can generate more hits for him than did his Clay Aiken post. ;)


NEW OLD EDITOR AT NEW ANGELES MONTHLY plus FEATURETTE OF THE WEEK!

New Angeles Monthly brings back its original editor Nikki Bazar to replace the departing Donnell Alexander.

Here's my two cents "FEATURETTE" about publications that are doing things right, including New Angeles Monthly: kudos to those offering an ACTUAL online view of the publication right on a web site. Check out New Angeles Monthly's virtual magazine -- from their home page, take the "click to view magazine" link on the right side just under the masthead. It has all kinds of cool sound effects, it turns the pages for you, you can print one or more pages, and you can find everything -- including your press clippings -- exactly how they look on the printed page. Who needs a clipping service?

The Beverly Hills Courier, Park La Brea News, Los Feliz Ledger and other local newspapers offer lower-tech versions of the same thing, usually in PDF format. If you know of others that do as well, let me know, and I'll pass it along here.

March 3, 2008 News

POST ST. VALENTINE'S MASSACRE x THREE OR FOUR

Twenty-two people lost their jobs Friday at the Daily News, among them long time music writer Fred Shuster and features writer Val Kuklenski. See the full list and tributes here.

This story on DistrictWeekly.com details the news last Friday that "[The Long Beach] Press-Telegram, a name synonymous with local journalism for 110 years, suffered deep staff cuts and a corporate restructuring that leaves it as little more than a bureau for the Torrance-based Daily Breeze."

More here at LAObserved.

Also, nine people lost their jobs at the Daily Breeze Thursday, and in New York, 120 Newsday positions were eliminated, 25 in the newsroom.

Very sad.


ON THE OTHER HAND…

According to an AP internal memo posted by LA Observed, Josh Dickey and Derrik Lang have joined the West Coast as deputy entertainment editor (Dickey) and entertainment writer focusing on the celebrity scene (Lang).


IN STYLE PROMOTES HONOR BRODIE

Honor Brodie, InStyle's features editor in charge of entertainment coverage (out of New York), has been promoted to managing editor. No word yet on who's filling her old job. I believe Mark Morrison is still the west coast editor, based here.

February 18, 2008 News

HELP – I NEED A SMALL FILM PROJECT PUBLICIST TO REFER

Can anyone out there email me with a recommendation for a small PR firm or independent publicist with expertise in handling a project for an independent film? I'd love to suggest someone really good to the filmmaker, who is the husband of one of my clients. Let me know: Laura.Stegman@hotmail.com, thanks!


LA TIMES FEATURES ME JOHN MONTORIO GETS THE AX MONDAY

Nikke Finke has the memo. Read it and more about this here.


NEW DAILY NEWS RESTAURANT CONTACTS

Larry Lipson retires as Daily News restaurant critic after 50 years. Food Editor Natalie Haughton and travel writer Eric Nolan will continue to review restaurants both in the Valley and in their "Over the Hill" column.


GLAMOUR NAMES WEST COAST EDITOR

James Patrick Herman starts March 10 as west coast editor of Glamour. You probably remember him from his most recent role at InStyle.


NEW PRODUCER AT KWHY'S CON CILE Y LIMON

May thanks to Leticia Buckley for passing on the tip that Annie Coronado is the new producer at KWHY'S Con Chile y Limon replacing Daisy Ruiz. Coronado provides this formal contact info:
Annelyne Coronado
Producer - "Con Chile y Limon"
KWHY - Canal 22
3000 W. Alameda Ave. Suite 1353-A
Burbank, CA 91505
Annelyne.Coronado@nbcuni.com


AMERICAN WAY MAGAZINE CONTENT ONLINE

You can read American Airlines' inflight mag content, current and past issues, at www.AmericanWayMag.com.


THEY'RE GONNA PUT ME IN THE MOVIES…

Are you a closet screenwriter? You might want to check out this great new "all hands script project" from Eric Estrin and LA Observed.

February 13, 2008 News

BAD NEWS FROM LA TIMES

As if the new LA Times owner's personality isn't enough bad news, the Times announced today upcoming layoffs of 100 to 150 people.

February 11, 2008 News

NOTES ON HEALTHCARE REPORTERS

Carol Stevenson generously passed on her thorough and informative notes from a media breakfast with some healthcare reporters, and I'm excerpting them here:

Lisa Girion, a Los Angeles Times business reporter

Lisa Girion is a Los Angeles Times business reporter who covers primarily health insurance and some hospital-related news. These days the business section is very consumer-oriented, she said. Lisa is looking for stories that address the relationship between consumers and health insurance companies and/or hospitals. She looks at all her e-mails, but rarely checks her voicemail. It’s better to pitch reporters than editors. Use key words in subject line to make searching easier. (i.e. “Leading Geriatrician,” “Medicare Advantage Expert,” etc.). She wants direct access to the spokesperson rather than coordinating an interview with the PR person. Ideally, she’d like the cell number for the source. She is not likely to connect with a PR person so that person can arrange an interview. She’ll just move on to the next source. LA Times is competitive with New York Times, WSJ and USA Today. They WILL NOT cover a story that’s been covered in one of those papers. If you pitch a story to her, haven’t heard back and would like to pitch it elsewhere, send her a note with “Planning to Pitch this to the New York Times” next to your original subject heading to let her know that you’re taking the story elsewhere. She does not have time to meet you for coffee and rarely holds desk side meetings.

Who Does What in Healthcare at the Times?

Daniel Costello, business reporter focusing on physicians and hospitals.

Mary Engel, metro public health reporter – Does not cover private hospitals, business or consumer healthcare-related products; nor does she do week, month or day healthcare observances.

Alice Short, new healthcare editor for California section

Ron Lin, new healthcare reporter for California section

Ricardo Alonso Saldibar, Washington bureau reporter who covers federal government healthcare issues, SCHIP, debate over curbing costs, etc. as well as drug and food safety

Charles Ornstein and Tracey Weber, investigative healthcare reporting

Mr. Jordan Rau, Sacramento bureau covers legislation – healthcare politics and policy, political initiatives and campaigns

Shari Roan, health section main reporter covers everything but fitness. Requires a strong news peg.

Tami Dennis, one of health section’s main editors, interested in consumer health and trends, news you can use. Calling her to see if she got your e-mail just irritates her.

Denise Gellene, science reporter focused on psych, behavior and neuroscience (“above the shoulders”)

Tom Maugh, science reporter focused on medical breakthroughs

Mr. Ashley Dunn, science editor

Gia-rui Chong, infectious diseases

Karen Kaplan, genetics

Deborah Crowe, LABJ Healthcare Reporter

She focuses on LA first and only rarely Orange County. The business you're pitching needs to be located in LA or have a major LA influence. Sometimes covers the SFV; they’re trying to do more. She’s looking for trend, overview and analysis healthcare business stories. If you’re pitching more than one person at the BJ, be upfront about it in your e-mail. Do not call her on Wednesdays. or Thursdays. Fridays are good days to follow up. She doesn’t mind follow ups, but make sure it’s a good time. Don’t worry if you don’t hear back, as she might be hanging onto it for future reference. She will NOT cover a story that’s been in the LA Times or in any of the other top five national dailies. Like Lisa at the LA Times, Deborah likes e-mails with bite-sized bullet points at the top and supporting info. later in the e-mail. She contributes to a page three column that focuses on “something bright, something light.” This would be the place to land something that’s a little “off.” Always have a cell number for your spokesperson and make sure they are in fact available when you pitch the story. As we know, nonprofits don’t get much attention in the LABJ. What helps your chances of getting coverage for a nonprofit is if the organization is partnering with a corporation, which creates a business angle. They do not cover charity work.

TWICE A WEEK

The Beverly Hills Courier begins publishing twice a week (adding Wednesdays to Fridays) on February 27, according to a front-page note in its February 8 issue.

VENTURA COUNTY STAR ADDRESS

Unbeknownst to me, the Ventura County Star's mailing address changed (not sure when) to: P.O. Box 6006, Camarillo, CA 93011, and the newspaper's main phone number is now 805-437-0000.

NEW ARTS-ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR AT TIME.COM

Caryn Brooks (caryn_brooks@timemagazine.com), previously an "Associated Press asap" entertainment editor.

February 6, 2008 News

NEW ''EVERYTHING ELSE" WEB SITE-BLOG FROM AL MARTINEZ

Check it out here. Al says it "takes you a step beyond what I currently write in my Monday column for the Los Angeles Times. In it, we'll talk politics, culture, war, family life and, well, everything else."


NEW EDUCATION REPORTER AT LA OPINION

Thanks to Jessica Schmidt at The Rogers Group for passing this on: "Ivan Mejia is the new reporter assigned to cover education issues since Ruben Moreno was just assigned to cover City Hall."


NEW MASTHEAD NOTATIONS

Noticed some new-ish names in the Westside Today newspapers masthead (Brentwood News, Beverly Hills 90210, Santa Monica Sun): Shannon Dunn (shannon@westsidetoday.com) is Editorial Director; Jim Bursch (jimbursch@westsidetoday.com) is Community News Editor and Online Media Director; and Katie Grim is Managing Editor (katie@westsidetoday.com).

At Beverly Hills 213, Natalya Garber is Assistant Editor. Not sure how new this is, but I just noticed it.