June 30, 2008 News

NEW APPOINTMENT AT LA TIMES

From the LA Times Readers Representative blog:

Amanda Covarrubias will be moving to a newly created morning-news post on the city desk. This job will be a hybrid of reporting and editing…

Read the whole memo here.


FROM CISION'S THE NAVIGATOR:

Stephen Galloway has been appointed executive editor of features and events at the The Hollywood Reporter. He oversees the features department. He was most recently a contributing editor, although he has previously held the title of executive editor and served as a columnist for the publication.

And

Laura Bird, weekend news editor at The Wall Street Journal, is now overseeing travel coverage for the The Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition and editing the weekly Chefs at Home column. Bird replaces Janelle Carrigan, who, as The Navigator previously reported, has been appointed features editor for WSJ.

FROM MUSICAL AMERICA

Miami Herald Drops Its Classical Critic

On Tuesday, Miami Herald Classical Music Critic Lawrence Johnson received an “involuntary buyout” from his newspaper. Just to be clear, the word “buyout” when preceded by “involuntary” means laid off, in this case with eight weeks severance pay. Such is Johnson’s paper parachute.

The Miami Herald is located literally across the street from the two-year-old Adrienne Arsht (formerly “Carnival”) Center for the Performing Arts, which was built at a cost to Miamians of just under $600 million and houses the Florida Grand Opera, the New World Symphony, the Concert Association of Florida and the Miami Ballet, among others. Apparently, the Herald isn’t very interested in covering the neighborhood.

FROM WALEK & ASSOCIATES

Dow Jones & Company today announced that Al Lewis, the award-winning editor/columnist, blogger and television commentator for The Denver Post, has joined the Dow Jones Newswires editorial team. Mr. Lewis will begin his duties on June 30 and will write a wide-ranging new business column that offers an unconventional perspective on business, companies and the people who run them.

AP ENTERTAINMENT COVERAGE UPDATE

Check out this blog post about a recent event at which Associated Press entertainment editors and reporters gathered "to introduce the wire service's ambitious new approach to entertainment news coverage."


YES INDEED, MORE IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF RASCAL FLATTS… REALLY GOOD AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM TRIBUNE "INNOVATION" CHIEF LEE ABRAMS

This guy, as T.J. Simers might say, lives (unfortunately) among us. Directly quoted from a memo by Tribune "innovation chief" Lee Abrams:

BUFFETT AND BARTOK MUST UNITE: : It seems like music coverage is not complete. There seems to be outstanding coverage of High end music, but with mass appeal artists, I notice that there's cursory pre event coverage and often a review AFTER the show. All good, but I wish we'd treat Jimmy Buffett, or Toby Keith, or any of the mega artists with the same informational tactics. The Morning Call in Allentown recently adapted such an approach. In their GO section they went deep into what to expect. Tools for a decision. Predicted set list, tips on what to expect, etc...My point here is that I noticed a paper doing a massive story on a local Opera. That's fine. Then there's a long story about an emerging alternative band. That's fine. But then when Pop music superstars are coming to town, that reaches a far larger audience, you don't see the same coverage. As if we're "too cool" to go big with Rascal Flatts or Genesis.

Thanks to L.A. Observed for Abrams' pearls of Wisdom, more of which you can read, if you dare, here.


PATT DIROLL'S PASADENA STAR NEWS COLUMN RUNS EVERY WEDNESDAY

Thank goodness for Patt – dare I call her a fabulous doyenne? -- who has long provided a terrific outlet for coverage of charities and fund-raisers. Her Pasadena Star News "On the Town" column and its "Social Calendar" sidebar now run every Wednesday on the Celebrations section front page.


ALFRED LEE GOES TO PASADENA STAR NEWS

The Reporter-G blog reveals this good news about Alfred Lee::

The Pasadena Star-News has a new reporter. Alfred Lee, formerly of L.A. CityBeat, will cover the foothill cities of Arcadia, Sierra Madre and Temple City for the Singleton paper.

FROM NIKKI FINKE ABOUT NEW YORK TIMES FILM WRITER DAVID HALBFINGER

Nikki Finke has the news about New York Times/LA Bureau film beat writer David Halbfinger taking a hike back to the East Coast.

June 16, 2008 News

ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS FROM LA OBSERVED

1) Tu Ciudad ceases publication. Details here.

2) Nikki Bazar is leaving for graduate school and Joshua Lurie becomes editor of New Angeles Monthly.

FROM MEDIA BISTRO'S REVOLVING DOOR

Time's arts editor Belinda Luscombe rotates out into an editor-at-large role and will return to writing features, while her replacement is the surprising outsider Radhika Jones, managing editor of the Paris Review...

COME ONE, COME ALL

944 Magazine is all about getting emails from us PR types. You'll find the details here.

Also, Martine Bury has replaced the departed Emmy Kasten as editor in chief.

OLDER NEWS

This happened weeks ago, but it takes effect July 1. From this story:

Copley News Service will be sold to Creators Syndicate by The Copley Press, the companies announced Wednesday [May 28]. The sale, for an undisclosed price, takes effect July 1. On that date, Copley News Service will be renamed Creators News Service. The sale is the latest in a series by The Copley Press, which appears to be focusing on its main asset, the San Diego Union-Tribune.

June 10, 2008 News

LA OBSERVED GETS IT RIGHT, AS USUAL

Read this post about the LA Times' new hire – drumroll… a Celebrity Courts Reporter -- it's classic and so right...

… and this one about the transgender metamorphosis of the LA Times Magazine.

Here's a link directly to the New York Times story with all the gory details.


NO MORE PARTY COVERAGE IN LA TIMES CALENDAR

While it seems to be at odds with the LA Times' morbid fascination with celebrity, I was told that there is no more "Party Page" in Calendar. Apparently what remains of that sort of thing is left to the Image section.


LA TIMES ARTS EDITORS JUNE 18 EVENT CHANGES VENUE

This event is just about "sold out" (space-wise), so I took down the link in my post about it below.

For those of you who signed up, though, make sure you know that the venue has changed. Here's the info I received:

This event is hosted at David Henry Hwang Theater at East West Players, with the L.A. Times and presented by Terence McFarland, LA Stage Alliance, and Michelle Mierz, L.A. Contemporary Dance.

6.5.2008 ***Please note change of venue***

Wednesday, June 18th, please arrive at East West Players at 120 North Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 and park on the street or at City Lot #7, which is $7.00 per car adjacent to the theatre.

Doors open at 4:00 pm
Program from 4:30-6:00 pm, facilitated by LA Stage Alliance.

June 9, 2008 News

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 Millard
bottom 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

June 4, 2008, News

CITY BEAT CALENDAR EDITOR POSITION ELIMINATED, NEW ARTS EDITOR ADDED

This just in from (now former) Calendar Editor Alfred Lee at City Beat:

Today is my last day at L.A. CityBeat – the Calendar Editor position has been eliminated. It’s been a real pleasure working with you! I’m not sure where I’m going next, but I do plan to keep writing in L.A., so please keep in touch with me at alfredjlee [and the rest of it is at] yahoo.com.

Incoming arts editor Ron Garmon will be taking over the “7 Days in L.A.” feature, as well as other arts-related coverage. As far as calendar listings go, I don't know in what form they’ll continue, but in the meantime you can keep sending submissions to calendar [and the rest of it is at] lacitybeat.com.

Here’s my understanding of the new staff line-up [all @lacitybeat.com]:

Editor: Rebecca Schoenkopf - rebeccas
Arts Editor: Ron Garmon - rong
Film Editor: Andy Klein – andyk
Calendar listings: calendar

Alfred, goodbye and good luck!


VARIETY NOT MOVING AS OF NOW

Read somewhere that Variety was moving its offices, but I've learned that nothing is imminent. If anyone hears differently, let me know.


OUCH!

Laura Kelly at KCSN sends this:

"I’m writing on behalf of Martin Perlich to provide you with important updated parking information for guests that come to the KCSN Radio. Unfortunately, KCSN is no longer able to provide parking passes. Guests will either need to park on the street or purchase a parking pass as they enter the parking structure."

LA TIMES BUSINESS EDITOR

I'm sure you've all heard by now that the LA Times has named Sallie Hofmeister its new business editor. According to the story, "She replaces Davan Maharaj, who becomes managing editor."


MORE ALAN RICH INFO

Actually, just a correction to the info about Alan's site. According to Vanessa Butler, Alan will start his blog this week but the full web site launches in October. www.SoIveHeard.com


CHANGE AT THE ADVOCATE

LA Observed reports,

"Anne Stockwell, longtime editor-in-chief of The Advocate, is stepping down in mid June. She will be replaced by former Advocate news editor Jon Barrett."

May 27, 2008 News

JIM FARBER'S PHOTO EXHIBIT

Get down to the Torrance Art Museum this week if you can to see the exhibit (through May 31) of Daily Breeze/Daily News writer Jim Farber's stunning and fascinating photos. It's worth the trip!




OC REGISTER ARTS BLOG

Speaking of terrific writers, have you checked out Tim Mangan's OC Register arts blog (also contributed to by theatre critic Paul Hodgins and art writer Richard Chang)? Make it a bookmark, and visit it frequently, illustrating to the bean counters at the Register that there is interest in the arts.


ADD ONE MORE TERRIFIC WRITER

The Ojai Music Festival celebrates the launch of Alan Rich’s website, “www.soiveheard.com,” with its first “Bloggers’ Night” on Thursday, June 5, the opening night of the 2008 Festival.


CITY BEAT LOSES MITTELSTAEDT

City Beat News Editor Alan Mittelstaedt is let go. LA Observed has the details.


FAMILIAR NAMES ON WASHINGTON POST BUYOUT LIST

This story details info about the more than 100 Washington Post writers and editors who took the recent buyouts. Among the familiar names is Classical Music Critic Tim Page. He's been on leave this year anyway. Not sure if his replacement, Anne Midgette, will stay on. Anyone know?


THIS AND THAT

The LA Times Readers Rep blog announces that foreign correspondent Carol J. Williams is joining the Metro staff, taking over the legal affairs beat that had been held by Henry Weinstein.

According to Cision's Navigator:

Charlotte Boechler has replaced Mindy Spar as lifestyle editor.

Salma Abdelnour, previously travel editor at Food & Wine, has joined O, The Oprah Magazine as food editor.

New York Times LA Bureau music reporter Jeff Leeds "has been laid off amid recent cuts."

Media Bistro reports Nathan Cooper's promotion to editor of C Magazine, to "oversee and contribute to all of the title's editorial content… Cooper will report directly to Jennifer Smith Hale, Founder and Editorial Director."

Also from Media Bistro, LA Times Scriptland columnist Jay Fernandez heads on over to the Hollywood Reporter “as a full-time senior film reporter, concentrating on breaking news.”

From Susan Elliott at Musical America:

Downsizing at The New York Times has hit the culture department. Among those taking the recently offered buyouts are Bernard Holland, music critic; Jennifer Dunning, dance critic; Diane Nottle, deputy editor for classical music and dance; Gwen Smith, assignments coordinator for dance and art; and Lawrence Van Gelder, senior editor.

That leaves Alastair Macaulay as the only full-time dance critic at the Times, although the newspaper uses free-lancers Gia Kourlas, Roslyn Sulcas and Claudia La Rocco as well. The two full-time music critics left are Anthony Tommasini and Allan Kozinn. James R. Oestreich, editor of classical music and dance, occasionally pitches in as well; Steve Smith and Vivien Schweitzer are Times free-lance classical critics.

Holland’s last day will be May 23. In an e-mail he writes that he has been with the newspaper for 27 years and that he “drifted” into music writing after teaching piano privately. Early training included studies at the Vienna Academy of Music and the Paris Conservatory. He writes that he’s not sure of his future plans, but adds, “We have a house on an island in Canada. No one ever heard of Mozart or The New York Times. [I'm] there until they deport me.”

Asked if Holland’s position would be filled, Oestreich responded, “Since the goal of the buyouts is to decrease the size of the newsroom, it’s not an automatic assumption that we can hire another staff critic.”

As of February, the Times newsroom had about 1330 employees; the goal has been to cut 100 of them, through attrition and buyouts. Last week, media reports indicated that there would have to be about 15 involuntary layoffs to reach 100. Like most newspapers, ad revenues at The New York Times Co., which also includes the Boston Globe and a number of other papers, have been slipping. Associated Press reports that Times Co. ad revenues dropped by 9.2 percent in the first quarter of the year.

A FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT!

Don't miss A Chorus Line at the Ahmanson!


AND FINALLY, DOESN'T VANESSA BRYANT HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS?

Bet you can't resist clicking on this headline: "I Got Cussed Out By Kobe Bryant's Wife"

May 13, 2008

KCSN FM CLASSICAL MUSIC FORMAT IN DANGER?

Alan Rich reports this to his email list:

So I hear: In an ominous move officials at Cal State Northridge have taken the unprecedented step of cancelling the Pledge Drive of KCSN-FM, the feisty little public radio station for which they hold the license. The station, which was awarded “Best of LA” by Los Angeles Magazine in 2006… offers the most exciting classical music programming in the city (and maybe the country) – often presenting music by living composers as well as an unusually generous amount of 20th century music (as well as ancient music, rare and ‘difficult’ music) and daily chats with a broad group of members of the Arts community (cutting-edge composers, musicians, writers, choreographers, filmmakers, playwrights, jazz players, etc.) by acclaimed interviewer Martin Perlich (author of The Art of the Interview).

While classical music is presented every weekday 6am – 6pm, weekends are occupied by unique “Roots” programming: “Bluegrass, classical country, singer-songwriter, world music, blues, a 2-hour program devoted to Bob Dylan and more.

Recently University Management, through KCSN’s GM Fred Johnson, fired Les Perry, the station’s best programmer and fundraiser… The subsequent outcry from listeners and members -- 90% of the station’s operating budget is provided by listener-members -- has caused new Dean Robert Bucker (backed up by CSUN president Jolene Kester and Provost Harry Hellenbrand) to cancel the Pledge Drive out of “sensitivity to ‘the community” which, responding negatively to the program changes, will negatively affect progress on CSUN’s new $125 million-dollar Valley Performing Arts Center whose groundbreaking was celebrated last week.

Observers believe that in cutting off funding through cancelling the Drive, the University higher-ups have signaled their long-expressed desire to change KCSN’s format – possibily handing off (as KPCC recently did) to large national pubcasting networks like Minnesota Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Radio or a similar entity, leaving Los Angeles with one classical station, whose classical programming is far less enterprising than KCSN’s.

To support the invaluable Martin Perlich and classical music at KCSN... write (all at csun.edu) or call:

Jolene M Koester, CSUN President
Jolene.koester@
818. 677-2121

Wm Robert Bucker, Dean of Arts, Media, and Communication
robert.bucker@
818. 677.2426

Harry Hellenbrand, CSUN Provost & VP of Academic Affairs
harry.hellenbrand@

Thanks to Larry Mayer, Program Director at WETS 89.5, for passing on some of this information.

And thanks to Vanessa Butler for letting us know that Alan’s site, www.soiveheard.com, makes its debut in early June. Can’t wait!


TITLE CORRECTION FOR OC REGISTER’S DEPARTED STEVE PLESA, PLUS THIS NOTE FROM LONG-TIME TRAVEL EDITOR GARY WARNER

Sorry that I repeated an incorrect title for OC Register’s recently departed Steve Plesa. I appreciate this note -- subject line: Not Dead (yet) -- from Travel Editor Gary Warner with clarifications:

Hi Laura.

Unfortunately, one erroneous listing in the OC Weekly has spread like kudzu.

The travel editor of the Orange County Register was not laid off. I am still here.

Unfortunately, my good friend and boss, Steve Plesa, the team leader for food, travel and new products, was laid off.

OC Weekly also misspelled the name of the designer who was laid off. It is Neil Pinchin.

Best,
Gary Warner
Travel Editor
The Orange County Register

May I add that I happen to know what kudzu is because my husband is an REM fan.

Jasmine. Not kudzu.
Photo by Hugh Stegman







CONTACT UPDATE FOR ARGONAUT’S WHAT’S ON EDITOR

Thanks to the ever-alert Lucy Pollak for reporting that Melissa Masatani has returned her post as What’s On editor at the Argonaut. They ask that we send listing submissions, story ideas, photos, etc. to her at whatson@ (see rest below). 310.822.1629, x 118. Rest of address is argienews.com


GRIPE OF THE WEEK

In contrast to the welcoming Argonaut, here’s my rant on the topic of listings submissions. How annoying is it to have to fill out online forms in order to submit events to certain newspapers? Especially when, for many of them, it’s not like you just type in the event name and then paste in the press release. Got an email yesterday from a weekly newspaper that shall remain nameless, which now insists that it will only accept event listings via an online form, and the calendar editor asks that her address be taken off email lists. I checked out the form and it’s pretty cumbersome and time-consuming. Even the LA Times form for such listings is simple and takes about a minute or less to complete. I wonder if this policy will result in this “shall remain nameless” newspaper – and others like it – not getting press releases via email that they might actually want to know about? I doubt very much that the Jerusalem Symphony, for example, would know of, much less abide by, this policy. For example, of course. I am removing this contact from my email list to comply with her request, but I’m not going to deal with the form. I just don’t have the time.


NEWS TO ME

Not sure when this happened, but La Opinion's Alicia Morandi is now editor of the weekly Contigo section ("a practical how-to guide for the Latino family”), which includes “health advice, tips on jobs and education, advice on personal finance, a Women’s Page (beauty, health, recipes, children), a Men’s Page (gadgets, autos) and a community events calendar.” Morandi’s replacement as the newspaper's lifestyle editor is Virgina Gaglianone, overseeing features, religion, food and health and medicine.


CATCHING UP

The Times' Readers Representative blog also announced that long-time staffer Connie Stewart has joined the National Desk as night editor.

Media Bistro reports that OC Register home improvement columnist Jennifer Bush writes her first column for the OC Register under her new married name, Jennifer Meyer, only to announce that it's the last column she'll ever write for the paper.

Cision's The Navagator announced this about a week ago:

Ben Sisario has been named culture reporter at The New York Times. Most recently, he served as the music listings editor, a position now filled by Sunita Reddy.

Also about a week ago (hey, I’m supposed to be on vacation!), LA Observed reported these moves and changes:

The LA Times:

is moving California political writer Phil Willon onto the Los Angeles City Hall beat.

Staff memo here.

The Daily News:

is losing LAUSD beat reporter Naush Boghossian, the type of aggressive reporter the DN needs to cultivate. She gave notice last week, the same day that Carolina Garcia reported in as the new editor. Boghossian is leaving the news business for PR, I'm told at Larson Communications, which has education clients.

and

The Los Angeles Daily Journal

[loses] Ryan Oliver… for public relations, taking on the Police Protective League and U.S. Army accounts for Weber Shandwick Worldwide's Los Angeles office. He used to cover City Hall and more recently was on the criminal courts beat.

THIS IS ONE LIST YOU DON’T WANT TO BE ON

Media Bistro’s PR Newser reports on some good reasons to avoid mass media emails. It’s an interesting read. I’ll just add that my little blog actually gets some of that un-tailored kind of mail, apparently from PR folks who haven’t taken the time to read it. Not that I mind being offered free CDs!


AND FINALLY...

... a shout out to the cool folks at The Donahue Group. Nice to meet you all!!