Tribune Defends Running 'L.A. Times' As Showdown Nears

By: E&P Staff Replying to their recent letter of concern, Dennis J. FitzSimons, chairman of Tribune Co., on Monday told 20 community leaders in Los Angeles that his company had actually made strong improvements and investments in its Los Angeles Times since acquiring it six years ago.

At a board meeting on Thursday, the company's directors may move to sell the paper and/or other properties, which include 11 newspapers and 26 TV stations in all, under pressure from shareholders. At the same time, the Times' publisher and editor have come out against any further cuts in the paper's editorial staffing, even as profits and circulation continue to decline.

FitzSimons sent a four-page letter to the prominent L.A. leaders who warned of more newsroom cutbacks. He asserted that Tribune was
was spending a larger share of its revenue on editorial than during its so-called "golden age" during the 1970s and 1980s. He said the Times still "has the largest editorial staff and budget of any metropolitan newspaper in America without nationwide circulation....The Times is, and under Tribune ownership will continue to be, a truly great newspaper," he concluded, also pointing to a slew of Pulitzers in recent years.

But an article in today's L.A. Times by James Rainey pointed out, "Some executives at The Times immediately rebutted FitzSimons' contentions, noting, for instance, that the editor who was responsible for many of the awards left the paper in protest over staff cuts."

A Chicago Tribune story today reveals that last night one of the 20 community leaders, attorney George Kieffer, said late Monday he was glad FitzSimons responded quickly and that the letter suggested he might meet with the group in Los Angeles soon. But, he added, the question at the heart of the group's letter remains.

"We appreciate where they're coming from financially," he said, "but it needs to be balanced with the obligations of a paper in a region. At what point do cuts ultimately undermine the quality of the newspaper? That's a question we'll look forward to discussing with them."

The Los Angeles Times story today revealed that other newspaper industry observers disagreed on how long Tribune "would allow the split with their biggest newspaper to go unresolved." Publisher Jeff Johnson and Editor Dean Baquet may get axed.

"One top Tribune manager said he sympathized with efforts to stave off more job cuts, which have beset an industry that is losing ad revenue to the Internet," the Times' story continued. "Like many of those interviewed for this story, the manager requested anonymity so as not to upset Tribune managers. But the Tribune manager added, 'How long can you have your biggest subsidiary in a sort of open rebellion? Especially from Jeff, who was put out there because he is a company loyalist. You can't have this at a time when there is so much other instability.'

"A top executive at a large newspaper chain predicted that Johnson and Baquet would be fired. 'I hope those guys have their career plans well made," the newspaperman said, "because you do not tell Dennis FitzSimons and those guys at Tribune you are not going to do something. If you do, you are going to be on the beach, real soon.'"

On the other hand, a former top news executive for Tribune said "there has always been a feeling in Chicago that the place had, in every single area, at least three people working at a job that could have been done by one or two."