Los Angeles Magazine editor on LA, buses and the Times

Since taking over as editor of Los Angeles in 2009, Mary Melton has "continued to push the publication beyond its former Westside comfort zone into the far corners of our megalopolis," says The Frying Pan News, the city and politics website from the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy. In a Q-and-A with Danny Feingold, the group's communications director, Melton talks about loving the city and about LAANE's issues of poverty and social justice. (She tends to agree with them.) She thinks public officials should be required to ride the bus once a week (she does so, sometimes) and on the media, Melton has this to say:

What is missing from the city’s journalistic landscape?

The mainstream press needs to reintroduce beats, cover California and L.A. issues, have more reporters devoted to local politics and politicians. Websites don’t have the resources to do deep reporting.

If you were editor of the L.A. Times, what would you do to change things?

The first thing I would do is hire a fleet of buses and have everyone in the building get on one and go see the city. Too many people at the Times never leave the building. I remember during the 2000 Democratic Convention, which was in downtown. I was working at the Times, and I decided to go over to check it out. I tried to get some folks to come with me, and everyone said, “It’s so far.” What?

I will continue to subscribe to the Times no matter what state it’s in – I think it‘s our civic duty. There’s still talent there and some excellent work being done, but they didn’t think through their downsizing, they lost so much talent. I don’t want it to become irreparable.

What could Los Angeles magazine do to tell the real stories of L.A.?

We do tell real stories. That said, there are other stories I would be all over, but they would require heavy lifting and investigative reporting – we don’t have the resources. This year we are planning on taking on some kind of cause, something that the magazine identifies that the city needs to fix and report on it in a very active way, whether it’s a social cause or civic improvement. We will declare that this thing is broken, and see what we can do to fix it. We will be looking for ways to motivate wealthy people to be part of that.

And in Los Angeles magazine: The February issue is billed as a guide to "Classic L.A." Melton says in her editor note: "It's not so much a 'service'" package as it is an ode. The writing is crisp and inspiring yet never sentimental, and the package couldn't make me prouder of the city we call home. The editors here clearly love L.A., and it shows on every page." Mark Lacter has a column in the issue on what the 1% mean to the rest of us, economy-wise.