THE TRIBUNE RESPONSE TO LOS ANGELES TIMES REBELS
Well, here there is the response from Chicago:
Tribune Co. CEO Dennis FitzSimons, responding to a letter from some of the most powerful civic leaders in Los Angeles, defended the company's management of the Los Angeles Times and gave no indication the company was willing to consider the newspaper's sale.
FitzSimons's response comes amid rising tension between Tribune management and the newspaper's editor and publisher, both of whom have resisted company pressure to make further layoffs.
The standoff could force the departure of Dean Baquet, editor and Jeffrey M. Johnson, publisher (very soon, you will see)
Los Angeles Times is the fourth-largest newspaper in the country by circulation and makes up nearly a quarter of Tribune's publishing division, which includes the Chicago Tribune and New York's Newsday.
Tribune's newspapers account for about three-quarters of the company's revenue.
In the letter, Mr. FitzSimons said the Times's revenue is below where it was at the time of the Times Mirror acquisition in 2000, indicating that further cuts may be necessary.
"Tribune has also made over $250 million in capital investments in the Times, designed to further improve quality of the newspaper," he said.
"In terms of editorial expense, the portion of the Times's total revenues dedicated to news coverage is currently almost double what it was during what many refer to as the 'golden age' of the newspaper, under publisher Otis Chandler," he said.
"It is also higher than in 1999, prior to our acquisition of Times Mirror.
In fact, the Los Angeles Times has the largest editorial staff and budget of any metropolitan newspaper in America without nationwide circulation."
Another reason to question the current model.
And another reason to expect very soon new victimis of this open corporate battle.
Tribune Co. CEO Dennis FitzSimons, responding to a letter from some of the most powerful civic leaders in Los Angeles, defended the company's management of the Los Angeles Times and gave no indication the company was willing to consider the newspaper's sale.
FitzSimons's response comes amid rising tension between Tribune management and the newspaper's editor and publisher, both of whom have resisted company pressure to make further layoffs.
The standoff could force the departure of Dean Baquet, editor and Jeffrey M. Johnson, publisher (very soon, you will see)
Los Angeles Times is the fourth-largest newspaper in the country by circulation and makes up nearly a quarter of Tribune's publishing division, which includes the Chicago Tribune and New York's Newsday.
Tribune's newspapers account for about three-quarters of the company's revenue.
In the letter, Mr. FitzSimons said the Times's revenue is below where it was at the time of the Times Mirror acquisition in 2000, indicating that further cuts may be necessary.
"Tribune has also made over $250 million in capital investments in the Times, designed to further improve quality of the newspaper," he said.
"In terms of editorial expense, the portion of the Times's total revenues dedicated to news coverage is currently almost double what it was during what many refer to as the 'golden age' of the newspaper, under publisher Otis Chandler," he said.
"It is also higher than in 1999, prior to our acquisition of Times Mirror.
In fact, the Los Angeles Times has the largest editorial staff and budget of any metropolitan newspaper in America without nationwide circulation."
Another reason to question the current model.
And another reason to expect very soon new victimis of this open corporate battle.
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