Did he click on the link in the confirmation email which completes the registration?

Of course.

And you know that because he didn't mention that step at all?

Times reporters and execs would do well to improve the product not troll LaObserved all day looking for ways to defend the indefensible.

Now That was funny.

So paul w, do you think I'm a reporter or exec at the Times?

I do work there, but as a web developer for the subscriber services site. In the past, I worked as a web developer for latimes.com and calendarlive, and occasionally work with the staff of those sites.

The wording registration confirmation email on my site was derived from that used by latimes.com, and has been refined based on user feedback. So my question was legitimate.

And, in general, since this site is first of all identified as "Los Angeles media", it seems appropriate for me to read it.

Finally, having worked with Kevin in the past, I appreciate his views on the other part "[Los Angeles] ... sense of place".

So, trolling not in the traditional sense, and certainly not in the internet sense (though that is close to what you did with your post).

Sadly, it would be hard to find a media outlet that struggles as hard with some of its customer touchpoints as the Los Angeles Times has in recent years.

FWIW, I often get an earful from regular Joes (who assume that because I talk with reporters, I must have high ranking corporate contacts). The usual line is that I should "tell my friends at the Times" how much they despise:

Mindful that these are *their* unsolicited comments, and not mine, it seems almost scripted that when they get up from the dinner table to answer an untimely call, they curse The Times before they even say hello!

Similarly, when running late for a movie, they offer "we've got plenty of time, all we'll miss are a few LA Times commercials".

With so many people working so hard at that publication, it sure is frustrating (even for me) to hear that day-in and day-out. I can only imagine what a downer it must be at times for those who actually work there.

Brian

BTW, the other part of my issue is that if you're not a 7-day subscriber -- I get the weekend LA Times at home, but read online the rest of the week -- you have to pay $4.95 a month for Calendar Live. I have two problems with that:

1. Why should I pay $5 a month for the privilege of not sending several additional pounds of newsprint to the recycling yard every week? I'll still read the ads, I promise.

2. The Calendar Live section isn't that good. It's serviceable, but no big loss if I can't get past the registration screen.

Like I keep saying, over and over again, get a library card and you can read the LA Times for free, through the databases. Even Calendar. That's what I do.