Last evening, we hosted a publisher's forum that convened a respected panel of experts in the field of education, and focused attention on the critical dropout crisis facing Los Angeles schools -- an issue we highlighted in February's four-part series, "The Vanishing Class." This forum, which will be broadcast by KTLA tomorrow at 9 p.m., illustrates the special civic leadership role we fulfill.

Newspapers, in general, and the Los Angles Times, in particular, have a unique role and responsibility in the community, from investigative reporting, such as our recent "Altered Oceans" series, to the explanation and interpretation of public policy issues, such as immigration, to leadership on tough political issues, such as education and homelessness.

While I recognize it's impossible to ignore recent stories that have involved me, Dean and Tribune, it's important they do not distract us from our mission: to be the preeminent voice of Southern California. I ask each of you to remain committed to and focused on helping the Los Angeles Times remain the leading voice and media choice of Southern California. We are at our best when we are focused on serving our readers, advertisers and communities.

As we look to the fourth quarter, we have many exciting and important initiatives planned or already underway. We will unveil a fresh new look for our A Section in October, with the other news sections to follow in sequence, coupled with an aggressive promotional campaign you will be hearing more about in the coming weeks. We are readying several new content areas and products including fresh looks at Travel, Fashion, and entertainment. And we will close the year strong with the launch of the Envelope print series to kick off awards season, and several events and sections tied to the celebration of our 125th anniversary of serving the needs of Southern California.

This is a challenging time for us and for our industry. What will separate us from any other medium is how we create value for the many different constituencies that depend on us every day. Thanks for all you do. Your personal contributions are helping us fulfill that mission.

Jeff