New editors at Daily News

Mariel Garza moves up to editor of the editorial pages at the Daily News in Woodland Hills. Oscar Garza (no relation), formerly the editor of Tu Ciudad magazine and before that a longtime editor at the Los Angeles Times, joins the Daily News as senior editor/content — essentially what managing editor used to be. The newsroom meeting is going on now. Here are the memos from editor Carolina Garcia:

Please join me at a staff meeting at 3 p.m. Friday to say hello to our new top editors: Oscar Garza, senior editor/content; Ryan Garfat, senior editor/online; and Brian Harr, senior editor/presentation. Oscar comes to the Daily News with lots of experience in the LA market, including deputy editor of the LA Times Magazine and most recently Editor-in-Chief of Tu Ciudad/Los Angeles Magazine.

Most of you know Ryan and the great work he's done in the last year improving the Daily News Web site, and we expect lots more great work from Ryan and his team. We are placing even more emphasis on the Web, and Ryan will lead us in promoting and monetizing dailynews.com.

Brian has been with the DN since 1998 serving as Sunday News Editor and as Executive News Editor. He has a keen eye for design and under his leadership, I expect us to have an even more vibrant and modern look.

See you Friday.

Carolina

And:

Please join me in congratulating Mariel Garza in her new role as editorial page editor for the Daily News. Mariel has helped shape the voice of the paper on the editorial pages for the last five years. Before joining the editorial board, she covered City Hall.

On the ed board, Mariel has challenged conventional opinions, pressed pundits with tough questions and tenaciously pursued her points of view. Through it all, she has been gracious and witty.

We are extremely pleased to have her at the helm. Her great sense of humor and professionalism will be invaluable in shaping the DN's editorial voice in the years to come.

Mariel starts in her new job Monday.

Gracias,

Carolina

An editor who signs her notes gracias and who hires and promotes Latinos must drive the old Daily News-niks (and the Ron Kayesians) a little nuts. That alone makes Garcia worth watching. Mariel Garza will, I expect, nudge the Daily News editorial page away from the angry suburbanite tone and mostly conservative positions of ex-editor Chris Weinkopf, but you never know.

Previously on LA Observed:
No more jeans, or Weinkopf, at Daily News
Tu Ciudad publisher's closure email