September 28, 2007 News

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE WORST KIND WITH TV REPORTERS

I had an annoying experience with a KABC TV News reporter recently when she came to interview a celeb for Eyewitness News at one of my client's events. Among her, uh, questionable and certainly unprofessional actions were bringing her mother along ("she's my producer"), asking for tickets to the performance on the spot for both of them, demanding to be allowed into the venue because they were both hungry and needed to eat, behaving inappropriately aggressively toward another artist's representative to try to get him to grant a filming request, and on and on. (The cameraman, on the other hand, was highly professionally).

Anyway, I thought that was bad, but here's another story from photographer Daniel Evans' blog about a clueless KCBS/KCAL reporter that pretty much tops mine in terms of things that count in the long run.

Thanks to LA Observed for pointing out this story.

__________________________

Ginny Chien departed Angeleno earlier this month, and an auto-reply email says to contact Editor Degen Pener for celeb pitches (dpener@modernluxury.com) and Gary Baum ("he'll point you in the right direction" for everything else) (gbaum@modernluxury.com)

__________________________

PR Media Moves is going on semi-vacation for a few weeks, although I'll post if there's urgent news. Remember to send any tips my way: laura.stegman@hotmail.com

Variety.com's Laura Repstad moves to Premiere.com on Monday, continuing "to cover film and celebrity," she says, "so let me know what you and your clients are up to." Reach her at 5670 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90036. lrepstad@premiere.com

Her email directs Variety pitches for the following to the following:

Stylephile: Mia McNiece: mia.mcniece@variety.com

Calendar: Elsa Bertet: elsa.bertet@variety.com

Pushy Questions: Erin Maxwell: erin.maxwell@variety.com or Byron Perry: Byron.Perry@variety.com

__________________________

HOW TO PITCH CIUDAD MAGAZINE

Editor-in-Chief Oscar Garza (ogarza@ciudadmag.com) oversees magazine development and handles cultural arts, entertainment, politics and current affairs, with about three months lead time.

Deputy Editor/Style Editor is Anna Lisa Raya (araya@ciudadmag.com) gets anything fashion related. She also manages the dining upfront sections (the later titled El Centro, which covers local tidbits, personalities and new products).

Music is handled by Staff Writer Dennis Romero (dromero@ciudadmag.com) and Garza.

Calendar listings and online features should be submitted to edit@ciudadmag.com. Submit 12 weeks out for the magazine and 3 weeks ahead for the online calendar.

Thanks to Director of Marketing and Promotions Michael Montanez for the info, which also included this from him: "Our publication is the second largest magazine in town with a readership of 345,000, and THE largest Latino consumer lifestyle glossy in L.A. The publication is written completely in English, but features personalities and stories that remain relevant to the Latino community. I share this because not too many publicists will understand the magnitude of the magazine and will often start cold calling without researching the publication. I hope this helps."

Indeed!

__________________________

DailyCandy introduces DailyCandyKids in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

__________________________

Next September, the Wall Street Journal debuts "Pursuits," a monthly lifestyle magazine. Read all about it here.

__________________________

The fabled New York Times web site opens to all readers, not just subscribers, and its archives from 1987 to the present are now available without charge, as are those from 1851 to 1922, which are in the public domain. According to this story, there will be charges for some material from the period 1923 to 1986, but some will be free. No explanation as to why THAT period of time remains cone-of-silenced.

__________________________

KBIG FM becomes "104.3 MY fm," and according to this story is playing a mix of contemporary adult hits by artists such as Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer, Shakira, Bon Jovi and Christina Aguilera. Charlie Tuna is no longer hosting the morning show.

September 13, 2007 News

LA Observed gets it… more plain vanilla from the LA Newspaper Group as the Daily News, Daily Breeze and Long Beach Press Telegram are planning to share NEWS content pages now (not just in their features sections). Read between the lines in this announcement naming Judi Erickson as city editor. The memo reads, "She succeeds Barbara Jones who is coordinating content with our sister MediaNews papers and will play a key content role in the efforts to develop and put together the common pages we'll soon be producing with the Breeze and Long Beach."

__________________________

As I speculated a few weeks ago, Enid Portuquez has left LA.com, but instead of joining Image, as I'd heard, she's an online producer for the calendarlive site focusing on shopping and possibly contributing to the newpaper as well.

__________________________

Am I the only one who's wondering why the LA Times gave Sandy Banks another opportunity to be a columnist? She's in the California section this time, rather than in what was called View where she was the last time around. Check this out – in the newspaper edition and on the website "Discussion" section for her Tuesday column about life span, it says, "Sandy wants readers to share their stories about what you are doing to buck the law of average and extend your life. Power walking? Praying? Eating broccoli? Share your thoughts."

Are they kidding??? Why is this in the California section, among other problems? Hope no one can hear me rolling my eyes.

Maybe David Lauter will have an answer in October when he becomes California editor, responsible for news coverage of the state, according to LA Observed.

__________________________

Carly Mayberry is now the Hollywood Reporter's film reporter covering Paramount and DreamWorks. (See my earlier report below about Leslie Simmons, who's covering Fox and Sony.)

September 7, 2007 News

In the "every publicist's nightmare" department, I thought this blog piece titled "Eight Warning Signs That a Reporter Plans to Flip the Script" was interesting, so I'm passing the link along.

__________________________

Lea Lion, who recently left the Los Angeles Downtown News, is now covering performing arts for what she says is "the Los Angeles Times' forthcoming arts website, The Guide." She adds, "Please add my name to your press list and keep me updated on upcoming concerts/shows/events/etc." lea.lion@latimes.com. (Thanks to the ever-prolific Libby Huebner for this info, and the THR and yourLA stuff below.)

No replacement for Lea yet at the Downtown News, so pitch editor Jon Regardie, who I'm told passes along calendar and entertainment stuff to freelancers for that kind of coverage.

__________________________

Media Bistro has this story (with LA Times memo) about writers/reporters filling the LA Times' new "web deputy" positions. The memo describes "key people [who] will serve as the glue between the [newspaper and the web site], helping reporters and editors at the paper develop more and better content for latimes.com." Names are named, so click on the link to read all about it.

Janet Clayton, veteran LA Times staffer most recently Asst. ME for local and state news, turned in her resignation yesterday.

I can't even think of a comment about this that would be any more [fill in your own word here] than the actual story, so I'll just pass along LA Biz Observed's story headlined "The LA Times Smells."

__________________________

The ever-delightful Kenny Werther alerted us to The Advocate's new-ish address: 6380 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1400, Los Angeles, CA 90048; phone is (323) 852-7200, fax is (323) 852-7264.

__________________________

THR ESQ writer Leslie Simmons thought she was out of a job when the online legal arm of The Hollywood Reporter folded recently, but she has now announced that she's staying on at the Reporter as a film/legal reporter. According to an email, "My duties as a legal reporter will remain somewhat the same, but scaled back I believe. As a film reporter, I am covering Sony Pictures and Fox Studios. It’s a new beat for me so I’m looking for sources from EVERYWHERE. So, if you have any connections or advice with either studio, producers, agents, then 'Let’s do lunch,' as they say!" You can reach her at 323 525-2278.

__________________________

Patt Morrison's KPCC 89.3 FM show expands to two hours starting Monday.

__________________________

New contact KNBC TV's yourLA is:
Ruthie Wyatt
Ruthie.Wyatt@nbcuni.com
818-840-6620
818-840-2608 - fax
3000 West Alameda Avenue
Suite 2351
Burbank, CA 91523

An email with this update says, "PLEASE SEND HER ALL PITCHES...SEGMENT IDEAS...HOSTS...EVERYTHING!!" and notes that the show is going on hiatus until October 1.

August 31, 2007 News

LA Times fashion critic Booth Moore is named editor of the Image (fashion) section, replacing departing Rose Apodaca, who launched the section as consulting editor. Image goes weekly on Sundays beginning September 9. Here's their press release with additional contacts, some of which I'd reported previously. Don't see LA.com's Enid Portuguez on that list – I read elsewhere that she was joining the Image staff, but she still has an active voice mail line at LA.com, and the LA Times operator doesn't have her on their Image section phone roster.

__________________________

Frontiers and InLosAngeles magazines, both now owned by the same company, have consolidated offices at 5657 Wilshire Blvd., 5th Floor, LA 90036,
Frontiers' phone/fax numbers are: 323.930.3220, 323.857.0578 (editorial fax). In Los Angeles's phone/fax numbers are: 323.848.2200, 323.848.2058 (fax). Contact Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Kinser at Frontiers, and associate editors Christopher Cappiello and John Hobbs at In Los Angeles. Thanks to the fabulous Kenny Werther for this.

__________________________

The Wall Street Journal changes the name of Pursuits, its Saturday leisure section, to Weekend Journal, same as its Friday section. According to this New York Times story, Tom Weber continues as editor of the Saturday section, reporting to Michael W. Miller, a deputy managing editor. Eben Shapiro oversees Friday’s Weekend Journal, also reporting to Miller.

August 24, 2007 News

Hot off the LA Times' advertising department presses, courtesy of my awesome associate Libby Huebner, and I quote:

Beginning on October 18th, our weekly Thursday Calendar will print in two separate sections!

Section 1 will become a broadsheet, and continue to be SoCal's #1 source for movies and television.

Section 2 will remain a tab, called Calendar/The Guide, and give our readers a detailed look at the weekend ahead, including more coverage of concerts, theatres, clubs and art galleries! Help them decide what to do and where to go! Best of all, new zoning options will allow you to deliver your message to customers close to home.

Plus, Calendar/The Guide online joins the family beginning in January, 2008."

__________________________

Christine Richard joins Sunset Magazine as a senior editor covering travel, replacing Abigail Peterson. Amy Wolf is still Sunset's travel editor.

__________________________

Angeleno Assistant Editor Lyndsey Saul is the current contact for calendar submissions.

__________________________

LA.com Editor-in-Chief Jason Middleton comments at LA Observed about Leslie Balla's "RIP" post about his site.

Possibly responding to my request, Middleton had the page of editorial contacts for LA.com updated to delete names of folks no longer there (just about everyone except him), but strangely, Enid Portuguez is still listed. Reportedly, she has moved to the LA Times' Image section.

__________________________

Also now at the Times' Image section is Emili Vesilind, who was West Coast retail editor of Women’s Wear Daily and previously editor of Times-Mirror's defunct Distinction Magazine.

__________________________

New at Variety.com is Mike Jones, managing editor, film festivals, overseeing the web site's film festival coverage and maintaining the Fest Central blog.

__________________________

FishbowlLA has this about possible changes at The Hollywood Reporter.

We know for sure from LA Observed that The Hollywood Reporter, ESQ. has been folded into its online sister publication, THR.com, and several staffers were let go.

__________________________

LA Observed also got the memo announcing that Geoff Mohan is the LA Times' new environment editor, replacing Frank Clifford, who took the buyout.

__________________________

Thanks again to my ultra-esteemed colleague Libby Huebner for passing this tip along from KidsLA Magazine, whose premier issue arrives this winter. According to a press release,

"The winter edition focuses on the wonders of the winter season, and especially Holiday traditions. KidsLA Magazine is published quarterly, and is geared towards upper income families with children ages 4 – 12, living in the greater Los Angeles area. KidsLA Magazine wants to hear about any Winter/Holiday events and activities being held from December 2007 through February 2008. The magazine will also have a Social Scene section for kid’s events, and is looking for any photos from such events. Deadline: October 1, 2007. Please send announcements/photos highlighting event details to:
Jemma Gafford, Editor-In-Chief, jgafford@kidslamagazine.com."

__________________________

What the….? If you want to be depressed about ever-shrinking outlets for arts coverage – classical music in particular – read OC Register Classical Music Critic Tim Mangan's blog post from a week or so ago. Thanks to the incredible Rachelle Roe for bringing this to my attention.

__________________________

We'll end on an up note, though. Congratulations to erstwhile LA Times Kid's Page Editor Mary Ellen Walker, who is Descanso Gardens's new public relations manager, replacing the retired Avery Econome.

August 15, 2007 News

Elisa Jacobs leaves her job as music and arts editor at the LA.com web site on Friday to move to Channelone.com as a features writer. She'll also be doing free-lance music writing (concert previews, concert reviews, CD reviews, interviews) for Spin.com, flavorpill LA, artistdirect.com, and more. Contact her here: jacobs.elisa@gmail.com. Thanks to my highly esteemed colleague and great pal Rachelle Roe for the tip!

Eater LA Editor Leslie Balla, who helped launch LA.com, calls it "a good site gone bad" in a post today.

__________________________

Another valued colleague (how many synonyms are there for "esteemed"?), Jenine Baines, passed on word that Robert Sandla is SYMPHONY Magazine's new editor in chief, succeeding Rebecca Winzenried.

__________________________

Hollywood Reporter film reporter Tatiana Siegel heads up Wilshire a bit to join Variety.