December 3, 2010 NEWS

New ME at Westways is Rachel Ng.


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Charlie Amter starts Lead Editor duties Monday (12/6) for "Play," the nightlife and events portion of NBCLA's The Feast web site. Charlie also continues to freelance for the Los Angeles Times' Calendar section on nightlife as well as blogging bi-weekly on nightlife and music for Blackbook magazine's blackbookmag.com. Pitch him via gmail.com: charlie.amter@, and check out his new web site.

December 1, 2010 NEWS

Got this auto-reply Monday from Shayna Nys Dambrot...

Hello dear friend of the Flavor and/or friend of SND.

Well, the rumors are true. Issue #404 will be my last as Managing Editor of Flavorpill LA. I'll be transitioning to the role of Editor-at-Large, and focusing my attention on my new role as Arts Editor at LA Canvas, as well as my work with Whitehot and Huffington Post -- all posts where I'll be focusing on visual art and book culture.

The lovely and talented Tanja M Laden will be assuming the Editor mantle at Flavorpill, so beginning immediately, please direct all your inquiries to her @flavorpill.com [la_events] and she'll see what she can do!

I'll be keeping my Flavorpill email address, probably forever, so feel free to hit me up on your art and book related awesomeness.

Cheers! It's been a sincere pleasure.

SND

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Some recent LA Times news...

... about Calendar columnist Patrick Goldstein's expanding beat:

Patrick Goldstein, Calendar's outspoken and contrarian columnist and blogger, is expanding his mission under The Big Picture banner. In the new year, Patrick will broaden his focus beyond movies to take on the larger popular culture, connecting the dots as only Patrick can across a landscape that includes not only film, but music, television, advertising, publishing, the Internet and their intersections with sports and politics. The column will move to Sunday Calendar, becoming a signature of the section every week with provocative, insightful commentary. Patrick also will write timely columns off the news when warranted for daily Calendar. Patrick's new mandate will not affect our critics, although it will require some additional coordination by him and his editor, Julie Makinen.

More of the memo HERE.

Note to self: "contrarian"? To what????


... and this about the Image section and magazine, including the opportunity for subscribers to opt-in for magazine delivery. According to a press release:

Beginning in January, each will unveil design upgrades and increased online features...

Image, dedicated to Southern California's distinct perspective on fashion and style, will get a bright visual boost with a more photo-intensive layout and increased reporting on trends in the making, new products and sales. In addition, beginning January 2nd , Image content will be featured in the glossy pages of LA the first Sunday of each month, while remaining a Sunday Times stand-alone section for the month's subsequent weeks.

LA...[debuts in early 2011] ...a new LA-centric e-newsletter highlighting the magazine's columns, feature stories and expanded digital content.

Full announcement HERE.

November 11, 2010 News

Contact info passed on by former LAIst Editor Zach Behrens in his new gig as KCET's " editor-in-chief for the station's new blogging operation," all kcet.org:

arts press releases:
culturedesk@

food/restaurant press releases:
fooddesk@

everything else:
newsdesk@

KCET's press release announcing his appointment is HERE.

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At LAIst, Zach is replaced as editor by previous Assistant Editor Lindsay William-Ross, and Lisa Brenner takes Lindsay's former title. More info HERE.

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An email excerpt from Sara Wilson, who departed Los Angeles Magazine on Wednesday:

... I’m leaving to edit the Huffington Post’s new divorce section... In future, please direct all submissions for the Coming Attractions section or the online Guide to Shayna Rose Arnold (lamag.com address is srarnold@)... If you want to reach me with divorce-related pitches (or just to say hello!) I’ll still be in L.A. (huffingtonpost.com address is sara.wilson@).


Congrats to everyone!

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OLDER NEWS...

Goodbye to a good guy... Leo Wolinsky left Variety, per THIS New York Times story.

And as a result, new staff assignments at Variety are detailed HERE.

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From a Citysearch's Facebook post:

TO OUR THOUSANDS OF FACEBOOK FRIENDS: Yes, it's true. Citysearch is changing its editorial operations. As such, LA editors Mar Yvette & Kelly Wardle will no longer be keeping up this page, but you can find them on Twitter: @marpop + @kellywardle. Citysearch will maintain its social media presence on a national level, so... you can get the latest company updates. Thank you & good night.

NEWS: October 18, 2010

Former Brand X Editor Alexandra Letellier heads over to the LA Times Opinion section, replaced by new Editor Krista Simmons.

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Thanks to Kenny Werther for passing this along....

The Hollywood Reporter is pleased to announce that Todd McCarthy will be joining the staff as chief film critic.

He was most recently a film critic and columnist for IndieWire and for many years was chief film critic for Variety and Daily Variety.

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More Hollywood Reporter news from The Wrap:

Elizabeth Guider is stepping down as editor from the Hollywood Reporter, the trade announced on Monday. Guider had been considered a lame duck following the appointment of Us Weekly veteran Janice Min as editorial director in May...Online Editor Andrew Wallenstein is also leaving the Reporter, TheWrap has learned.)

Details HERE and HERE.


HERE is a link to the masthead on the newly launched Hollywood Reporter web site.

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From writer Elina Shatkin, former LA Times writer:

It's official! On Monday, Oct. 18, I start my new gig as the 2nd restaurant critic for the LA Weekly. You may have heard of the first guy, Jonathan Gold.

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ATTENTION PR PROS, especially free-lancers and indie firm owners:

Two LA-area publicists are looking for a few more individuals to share a Vocus subscription in order to reduce costs. Email Carol [AT] eisnerpr dot com or call (310) 839-1400.

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KPCC's Morning Edition host Steve Julian, who's also a devoted theater supporter and blogs at his own site and at LA Stage, is taking center stage himself as Martin Vanderhof (Grandpa) in You Can’t Take It With You at the Candlelight Pavilion in Claremont, an Inland Valley Repertory Theatre production, playing October 20 and 27 and November 3. Read all about it HERE, and go see it!

And here’s an update on former Los Angeles Times arts staffer Diane Haithman:

While she continues to contribute to Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood website and other news outlets, Haithman also a contributor to a new literary anthology. An excerpt from her novel “Dark Lady of Hollywood” -- a finalist in the William Faulkner Creative Writing Awards competition (novel-in-progress category) -- will be included in A Voice from the Planet, Harvard Square Editions' second volume of “living fiction,” (published Oct, 1, 2010), edited by Harvard alumni. The short fiction anthology features work by award-winning and new authors from Congo to Hollywood, with stories and novel excerpts set in a wide range of arenas including the jungles of Peru, the American rebellion of the 1960s, fire dancing in the mountains of Bulgaria and high finance on 9/11. Readers can take part in the dialogue by emailing the authors and chatting on the web atwww.harvardsquareeditions.org. Net proceeds from the sale of this book (now available on Amazon) go to the Nobel Prize-winning charity Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

More details available at Haithman’s Amazon authors’ page HERE.

BREAK A LEG, Steve, and CONGRATULATIONS, Diane!!

September 30, 2010

News about staff changes at the Hollywood Reporter from the New York Post:

There is a month to go before The Hollywood Reporter takes a colossal gamble and drops its daily print edition to relaunch as a glossy weekly aimed at the film trade as well as some high-end consumers.

No surprise that Editorial Director Janice Min is making a flurry of new hires this week as she scrambles to fill out the staff in advance of the magazine's debut on Nov. 3.

Degen Pener, who was the editor-in-chief of the recently sold Angeleno Magazine, is joining as culture editor... Min also took time to raid from her old boss, Jann Wenner, by hiring Carol McColgin -- who had been the lead fashion writer at Us Weekly -- to be the style editor... Min's also poached from THR archrival Variety to hire Bill Higgins, a one-time "Into the Night" columnist at the Los Angeles Times, to cover parties and events around town.

The daily print version disappears on Nov. 3 when the new weekly launches.

More details from The Hollywood Reporter HERE.

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LA Observed reports:

Rob Guth, the Wall Street Journal's tech reporter based in San Francisco, is coming south to be Los Angeles bureau chief... Also, L.A. based Disney and music reporter Ethan Smith gets a promotion to Entertainment News Editor, "the prime reporter and shepherd of our Hollywood entertainment coverage."

More HERE.


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I read last week about the passing of long-time wine writer Jean Burggren... she was a lovely person. RIP. Obit HERE.


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Thanks to Kenny Werther for passing this along from Theater Mania:

New York magazine editor-in-chief Adam Moss announced today that Scott Brown will be the magazine's theater critic as of September 21. Brown has been a part-time reviewer for the magazine for the last two years, and previously worked at Entertainment Weekly and is concluding his tenure as a columnist for Wired. He will contribute to the magazine's print edition, web site, and daily blogs.

The magazine's previous theater critics include John Simon and Jeremy McCarter. Over the past two years, Brown has shared reviewing duties with Dan Kois and Stephanie Zacharek.

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From an Elle Decor press release:

Michael Boodro, Editor in Chief of ELLE DECOR, announced the appointment of three additional senior staffers to the brand's editorial team: Ingrid Abramovitch, Editor At Large, Allison M. Mezzafonte, Executive Editor Online and Caryn M. Prime, Managing Editor. Ms. Abramovitch, Ms.Mezzafonte and Ms. Prime join the previously-announced team that includes Anita Sarsidi, Design Director, Vicky Lowry, Executive Editor and Florentino Pamintuan, Creative Director.

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From an Architectural Digest press release:

Margaret Russell, Editor-in-Chief of Architectural Digest, has named the following individuals to her editorial staff, it was announced today.

Executive Editor —Sarah Medford, formerly Director of Arts, Culture & Design at Town & Country

Managing Editor—Lawrence Karol, formerly Executive Managing Editor at W Magazine

Special Projects Editor— Mitchell Owens, formerly Editor at Large at Elle Decor

Interiors Editor—Robert Rufino , formerly Vice President of Creative Services at Tiffany & Co., and most recently, a Senior Editor at Large at House Beautiful.

Design Editor—Howard Christian, formerly manager of the Treillage design/home-furnishings/garden shops

Style Editor—Elana Frankel, formerly Decorating Editor at Martha Stewart Living

Senior Writer—Sam Cochran, formerly a freelance writer specializing in design, arts and culture, and travel

Copy Chief— Kate Hambrecht, formerly Copy Chief at Elle Decor

Assistant Editor, Digital— Katherine Jerde, formerly Editorial Assistant at Architectural Digest in Los Angeles

Margaret Dunne, the former Executive Editor of Architectural Digest in Los Angeles has been named Consulting Editor, as has former Special Projects Manager, James Munn, both will remain in Los Angeles. George Moscahlades, Architectural Digest’s former Art Director, will stay on as Consulting Designer in New York.

September 20, 2010

This just in, via LA Observed:

Conde Nast announced today that the editorial offices of Bon Appetit magazine will be moving to New York, without longtime editor Barbara Fairchild. She will oversee the transition then leave to pursue other projects, including some with Conde Nast, according to the release.

Thanks also to LA Observed for THIS MEMO about new and changed programming at KPFK.


Wall Street Journal news from AP:

Starting next week, the Saturday Journal, under a new masthead reading "WSJ," will replace Weekend Journal with two distinct sections.

The Review section, comparable to the Times' Week in Review, will carry essay-style pieces on big ideas and events, with a pullout section inside devoted to book reviews. Gary Rosen, a former Commentary magazine editor with a background from Stanford and Harvard universities will run the section. Robert Messenger, one of the founding editors of the shuttered New York Sun, will report to Rosen as head of the book section.

The Off Duty lifestyle section will hew more toward high-end consumer reporting: fashion, tech, home decorating and design. Deborah Needleman, the editor of home decor magazine Domino before it folded last year, is leading the section as well as WSJ magazine. She has brought in fellow Domino alumnus Ruth Altchek to help run things day-to-day and Kevin Sintumuang from GQ to edit tech and gadgets. (The Journal won't reveal exactly how many extra staffers it has hired for the weekend.)

Two things that slipped through the cracks from a few weeks ago...

... this one from a press release last month:

New York, NY, August 23, 2010: Michael Boodro has been named Editor-in-Chief of ELLE DECOR; it was announced today by Robin Domeniconi, Senior Vice President, Chief Brand Officer, Elle Group. His appointment is effective August 25, 2010. Mr. Boodro has been promoted to Editor-in-Chief from the position of the magazine's Executive Editor. ELLE DECOR, the leading title in the shelter category, will also retain its core editorial team led by Anita Sarsidi, Florentino Pamintuan and Vicky Lowry.

... and this from Felix Racelis

Just wanted to let you know a former colleague of mine, Queena Kim, moved to the Bay Area a couple of months ago to become the Community Editor for the new online publication, The Bay Citizen. Queena was the producer for KPCC's Off-Ramp.

September 13, 2010

The New York Times reports this about The Hollywood Reporter:

Starting next month, Janice Min, who became the editorial director in June, and Richard Beckman, chief executive of The Reporter’s parent company, e5 Global Media, will remake the five-times-a-week publication as a glossy, large-format weekly magazine.

The content in the magazine, which will include a mix of analytical and feature articles and photo spreads, will be coupled with an aggressive and redesigned Web operation built around breaking news. A daily digital edition, in a PDF file, will replace the daily printed version distributed to subscribers now.

The prototype of the redesigned Reporter shows how he and Ms. Min plan to reach both audiences. It includes a new, more stylized logo and is printed on heavy, glossy paper. It is divided between fluff — an “About Town” section offers extensive coverage of parties and premieres — and substantive, reported features with tart language like “Coroner’s Report,” an examination of a movie that flopped. “How ‘Mad Men’ Inspired Prada,” reads the headline of another feature in the prototype.

Several items from LA Observed...

Food writer Lesley Balla announced she has left Tasting Table: "It's been a fun and incredibly informative year and a half, but it's time to move on." And a new blog http://chowballa.com/

...and this about KCBS's redesigned web site:

It's branded now as CBS Los Angeles and includes stuff from the two TV stations, CBS 2 and KCAL 9, and radio stations KNX and KFWB. Plus a whole lot that has little to do with CBS, such as newswire stories, calendar items and L.A guides of various kinds.

Here's a LINK to add events to the calendar:


...and this about a contact change for the LA Times' Health section:

Tami Dennis, health and science editor at the Los Angeles Times, is getting new Tribune-wide responsibilities and the title of vice president of health content for Tribune Company. She will coordinate health coverage at Tribune newspapers, television stations and websites and produce a new national health blog. Looks like the Tribune has decided it wants health news and information to be a money maker going forward.

Rosie Mestel named to replace Dennis as health and science editor.

Take THIS link for memo and more info.

Got this email auto reply from Wall Street Journal Speakeasy blog writer Michelle Kung:

I am currently out of the office because I am relocating. Starting Tuesday Sept. 7, I will be working out of the Wall Street Journal's L.A. Bureau at 6500 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90048. For immediate assistance on all Speakeasy-related issues, please email the general account at speakeasy [wsj.com] and someone will get back to you. Thank you.