Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
Amid resurgent newsroom talk of personnel cuts by the end of the quarter — that's March 31 for you civilians — the Times this afternoon undermined staff morale a bit more. A note just went out from the editorial hiring and development team letting everybody know that the annual awards gathering — where the best reporting, editing, photography and design of the year are honored — has been postponed.
Colleagues:FYI, if you marked it on your calendar: The 45th annual Editorial Awards, previously announced to be on Friday, March 16, is being rescheduled. The date is still in play and we'll let you know, asap, when we've got a new date.
Just a few years ago the awards were handed out at an expensive catered banquet at the Beverly Hills Hotel; more recently the ceremony has been held in the Times building. By tradition the newsroom messengers used to counter-program the annual banquet with a big after-party held somewhere like the Park Plaza. Those featured the handing out of alternative Fear and Loathing Awards (to the grumpiest editor, most lecherous old guy, hottest dude and dudette, etc) until the top editors took offense. These days the fear and loathing is provided by gossip of March layoffs and firings.
Media note #2: About 200 people showed up for an anti-Wendy McCaw rally near the News-Press in Santa Barbara.
Media note #3: OC Weekly managing editor Ellen Griley gave notice, making her the fourth senior staffer to depart recently. "It's an understatement to say that it has been one of the greatest joys of my life to work with you all," she says in an email to colleagues.