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I have no idea if there's a backstory here, but the LA Times' social media editor since last March, Stacey Leasca, announced on Twitter that today is her last day at the paper. She is going to RYOT News in Venice. "It has been a true honor to work here. Now off to the next adventure…," she posted on Twitter.
Leasca also tweets a video explaining RYOT News.
(2) I am so so thrilled to be joining the team at @RYOTnews starting this Monday! Get to know them/follow on twitter! http://t.co/rZcWPPsP6b
— Stacey Leasca (@SLeasca) January 21, 2015Last June she spoke with the Twitter Blog about moving everyone in the LA Times newsroom onto Twitter. Sample:
We challenged the entire newsroom to embrace Twitter as a place to share stories, spot tips and find sources, particularly on breaking news. The great thing that happened was that even people who were reluctant got on board once they understood the upside for their reporting and readership. But we knew we needed a plan to get everyone on Twitter. We talked to the newsroom first in big groups and then we sat down to train anyone who needed it one on one. This made sure we could help reporters, editors, photographers and artists find the best resources and uses for Twitter for a given beat. We wanted to ensure that Twitter was useful to the reporter as well as his or her followers….
The major benefit has been increasing our reader engagement, especially during breaking news events. For example, the reporters for @LANow, our local section, use Twitter during emergency events such as a fire or an earthquake, to quickly source information, which they re-share with the followers of @LANow. This information usually originates with emergency management services and is vetted by staff. This has allowed us to inform our readers much faster about news that affects them.
There is some upheaval in the digital ranks at the LA Times. Jimmy Orr, the managing editor for digital the last couple of years, and who promoted Leasca last year, has himself left for a Colorado startup.
Added: Reply tweet from Leasca:
@LAObserved No backstory! I love the @latimes, but was presented with an amazing opportunity.
— Stacey Leasca (@SLeasca) January 21, 2015