TMSI Changes Include Chicago Move and L.A. Job Losses

By: Dave Astor Tribune Media Services is moving various international-syndication functions from Los Angeles to TMS headquarters in Chicago, E&P has learned.

Seventeen of the 22 Tribune Media Services International staffers will lose their jobs in Los Angeles (though some might end up with TMS in Chicago). One person already gone is Jesse Levine, who was TMSI president as well as TMS vice president for international syndication until last month.

"His position was eliminated as a result of the reorganization," said John Twohey, TMS acting vice president for international syndication and vice president for multimedia, in response to an E&P question.

Levine -- who could not be reached for comment -- founded Los Angeles Times Syndicate International in 1982 and was also president of the Los Angeles Times Syndicate when Tribune Co. purchased Times Mirror Co. in 2000. After that, LATS and LATSI moved under the TMS umbrella -- and LATSI was later renamed TMSI in 2002. A number of the TMSI people losing their jobs in Los Angeles were LATS and LATSI staffers.

Five of the 22 TMSI staffers will continue to work out of Los Angeles in sales and reprint positions. TMSI editorial functions will move to Chicago by Aug. 13, with financial and technology operations to follow in October, according to Twohey.

He said reasons for the reorganization -- recommended by a project team appointed last December by TMS President/CEO David Williams -- include the "economies and efficiencies" of having domestic and international syndication functions in one place. Twohey added that it's possible international syndication will be done under the TMS rather than TMSI brand.

Twohey said it's "likely" there will be additional hirings in Chicago as TMS sees how the reorganization plays out in the coming months.

When asked if the naming of Michael Gart to replace Don Kraska as TMS director of finance/CFO (E&P, July 28) was connected to the reorganization, Twohey said it was not.