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The involuntary layoffs in the Los Angeles Times newsroom that began last night are rolling through the ranks today, falling hardest on the features floor downstairs from the main newsroom. As many as 20 people may be out, sources there say. Included is half of the newsroom's African American copy editors. "I'm saddened that with my departure the number of African American copy editors here goes down to one," the departing staffer says in a farewell email. Sounds like at least one senior editor on the Calendar side will be leaving.
Meanwhile, Business Editor John Corrigan has posted (just yesterday, a source says) an opening for a reporter to cover food and agriculture. From the paper's internal jobs board:
To: The Staff
From: John Corrigan, Business Editor
The Business section is looking for an ambitious reporter to cover the food and farm beat. One of California’s most important industries, agriculture offers the chance to stretch your legs in a sector that touches issues as diverse as immigration, the environment, technology and trade. We’re looking for an energetic and versatile writer who can break news, spot trends, write snappy features and who is comfortable blogging and making video.
The successful candidate will be first on the Web with news and will be at ease writing stories that will lead A1 and the Business page.
Interested candidates should contact Business Editor John Corrigan at (213) 237-xxxx or Deputy Business Editor Marla Dickerson at (213) 237-xxxx.
* Added: Could be that job will be filled from within the staff. Two other newly posted openings — for foreign correspondents in Mexico City and East Asia — explicitly say they are for those already on staff. That posting is below.
To: The Staff
From: Bruce Wallace, Foreign Editor
We are looking for two staff correspondents for our bureaus in Mexico City and East Asia – regions of vital importance to our readers.The successful candidates will be highly motivated self-starters with exceptional reporting and writing ability. Our foreign correspondents must be versatile, able to cover breaking news for an ever-widening World Now audience and experienced in writing thoughtful enterprise pieces, cogent analysis and long-form narratives.
A superb eye for a story is required, as is the ability to work cooperatively with colleagues in the field and on the desk in Los Angeles. Travel, often on short notice, is an essential part of these jobs. Experience in telling stories with multimedia tools is a plus.
In Mexico, we are looking for candidates with strong Spanish-language skills. Our Mexico City bureau correspondents cover a wide range of subjects in Latin America, including the drug war, politics, culture, business, the environment and social change. The estimated start date for this position is June 30.
Our East Asia correspondent will be responsible for capturing a region of particular interest to readers in Los Angeles. The successful candidate will be able to write authoritatively on a wide variety of subjects, including business, film, technology, diplomacy and military influence in a region on China’s periphery. The correspondent will be based in the region; the exact location is to be determined, with a start date possibly in June.
We will be looking to fill these vacancies from inside the newsroom. If interested, please contact Foreign Editor Bruce Wallace, (213) 237-xxxx, or Deputy Foreign Editor Mark Porubcansky, (213) 237-xxxx...
