LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Terry Tang, editor of the Los Angeles Times editorial page, was named Thursday the paper's interim executive editor following a shakeup that has seen three top newsroom leaders depart and more than 115 staffers laid off.
With the appointment by Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, Tang becomes the first female editor in the paper's 142-year history.
"I deeply appreciate the work you all do across the organization, and am excited as we transition to new editorial leadership with Terry," Soon- Shiong wrote in a message to the staff Thursday, according to The Times. "We are committed to important public service journalism that our community relies on while accelerating new, novel approaches. We will execute decisively to engage new audiences. Today's announcement begins that implementation."
Tang will fill the position left vacant by the departure in early January of Executive Editor Kevin Merida over what he called disagreements with Soon-Shiong over newsroom strategies. Managing Editor Sara Yasin resigned Monday, following the earlier departure of fellow Managing Editor Shani O. Hilton -- representing half of the four-person team that was overseeing the newsroom following Merida's departure.
According to The Times, Tang will appoint a managing editor to oversee the daily operations of the newsroom. She will also continue to oversee the editorial page, which she has led for nearly two years. She joined the paper in 2019 as a deputy Op-Ed editor, after spending two years with the American Civil Liberties Union. She previously spent 20 years with the New York Times.
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On Tuesday, at least 115 newsroom employees were laid off, representing more than 20% of the newsroom staff. Soon-Shiong called the move "painful for all," but said it was imperative to cut into the annual losses at the paper, estimated at $30 million to $40 million a year.
Tuesday's layoffs followed the elimination last summer of more than 70 newsroom positions at The Times.
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