Wednesday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting ended with several councilmembers openly criticizing the mass layoffs announced Tuesday at the Los Angeles Times.
The publication plans to lay off 115 employees, more than 20% of its newsroom. The Los Angeles Times Guild said that “young journalists of color have been disproportionately affected,” including heavy cuts to De Los, a Latino-focused vertical launched last year.
Councilmember Hugo-Soto Martinez told KNX News’ Craig Fiegener he was concerned about the decision to eliminate so many reporters of color.
“What stories are gonna be covered? What’s gonna be uplifted? What kind of messaging, what kind of historical narratives will be brought forward?” he asked. “In an election year when we know how high the stakes are for our democracy, holding electeds accountable is important.”
Councilmember Monica Rodriguez echoed those concerns, adding that the Latino community is a primary target for vitriol during election years because of immigration issues.
“All I know is that actions speak louder than words, and when there are decisions being made about what is prioritized and kept, it tells us a lot about what we need to know, what the priorities are,” she said.
L.A. Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, a biotech billionaire, made strides to diversify the newsroom after buying the publication in 2018, hiring 150 editorial staffers. But Soon-Shiong said the L.A. Times is losing $30 million to $40 million annually, and the cuts are necessary to keep the business sustainable.
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Councilmember Nithya Raman expressed worries about the financial difficulties hitting media outlets across the country.
“I think in the wake of changeover in L.A. Magazine and nationally, the loss of Sports Illustrated and Pitchfork, we are seeing a devastation in the media landscape that I think is not good for America and it's not good for democracy,” she told Fiegener.
Tuesday's layoffs follow the elimination of more than 70 newsroom positions at the L.A. Times last summer. The paper’s executive editor and managing editors have also exited this month.
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