|
|
|
Bob Carey is one of the Los Angeles Times photo staffers who were let go this week. Over at the Columbia Journalism Review, which is inviting parting journos to have their say, he analyzes where the Times went wrong in surrendering whatever cultural sway it had in Southern California:
Zell invented the financial quicksand we’re in at the moment, but our circulation loss is a self-inflicted wound: we stopped covering Southern California....The old Times Mirror bosses were keenly aware that The New York Times drew half its circulation from outside New York City, but the Los Angeles Times got almost all of its circulation in Southern California. From about 1980 to 2000, the L.A. Times built bureaus in Orange County, the San Fernando Valley, Ventura County, and San Diego. I think we had about 500 reporters and photographers in those zones when Tribune took over.
[We] welcomed the Tribune guys with guarded optimism. Right from the start, they said they didn’t care about circulation the way Times Mirror did. They had some other metric, whatever that meant. No one dared criticize them when they shut down the zones and redeployed those 500 people elsewhere. We simply abandoned the suburbs, and there are a lot of those in Southern California.
The new California section focused on the City of Los Angeles. We covered the L.A. city council and the mayor, the Los Angeles Unified School District, the LAPD, and acted like, by doing so, we were covering politics, schools, and crime in the region. We won fifteen Pulitzer Prizes while we lost a third of our circulation. To be fair, we won Pulitzers on the mess at King Drew Medical Center and massive fires in the region. But, in general, we stopped covering the zones. One day, I pointed out that Antonio Villaraigosa was not, in fact, the mayor of the city I live in and that I really didn’t care about him. It wasn’t appreciated.
Also:
Effective business articles that will improve your business.
Understanding the difference between accidents and incidents is essential for effective risk assessments. Both terms are often used interchangeably, but in the context of workplace safety, they have distinct meanings … Read More
Managing construction projects effectively requires not only skilled labor and quality materials but also the right equipment for the job. For contractors, balancing the need for specialized heavy machinery with … Read More
Choosing the right hosting company and plan is crucial to ensuring your website’s performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. With so many hosting options available, it can be overwhelming to know which … Read More
The health and wellness markets are part of a rapidly expanding segment of the global business economy. People are taking a proactive approach to improving their general quality of life, … Read More
Job interviews can be nerve wracking, yet exciting experiences. This is your opportunity to take the next step of your career, but at the same time, you probably have a … Read More
Investing in real estate doesn’t always mean amassing a portfolio of traditional properties like single-family rentals. For some, becoming a landlord may not be their dream. Nevertheless, would-be investors want … Read More
In the modern world where your online footprint matters most, enhancing your business website’s SEO is not just beneficial; it’s essential. With millions of searches conducted every day, your online … Read More
While credit cards are undeniably convenient for everyday purchases, using them to fund your bank account can be a financially precarious move. The high fees and potential credit score implications … Read More
All-on-4 denture implants have revolutionized dental restoration, offering a transformative solution for individuals with missing teeth or ill-fitting dentures. This innovative approach provides a stable and permanent solution by securing … Read More
Nobody likes seeing those flashing red and blue lights in your rearview mirror? Getting a speeding ticket can be frustrating and costly, but don’t lose hope we have some helpful … Read More
