New Times blog

Ken Reich reported for the L.A. Times for 39 years until last spring, when he was allowed to retire after bullying a newsroom aide. Now he has started a blog called Take Back the Times and called for someone local to buy the paper.

It's become obvious that the Chicago Tribune's purchase of the Los Angeles Times should be undone. It would be desirable for the paper to be restored to California ownership.

Under the control of Chicago executives, the L.A. Times has been diminished. Circulation has fallen more than 200,000 daily. A shrillness has been introduced on the editorial pages that denigrates the newspaper. There is a one-sidedness in the Calendar section that fails to examine the full dimensions of cultural issues in American life. The sports section has been ordered to undertake page cuts.

Jealousy in Chicago following the L.A. Times' winning of five Pulitzers led quickly to an order from Tribune executives that The Times cut its staff. The Tribune's own appointees, editor John Carroll and managing editor Dean Baquet have resisted these but been overwhelmed.

It's time for someone with sufficient resources to tender an offer for The Times.

After the Sports section was combined with Business on Thanksgiving, he railed: "The Tribune is not up to maintaining the standards of The Times. The newspaper ought to be sold to California owners now, before further deterioration is allowed."

Also new on the blogroll: Rob Kendt, founding editor of Back Stage West and a freelancer on theater for the Times, Variety and other publications, has launched The Wicked Stage.