If Jeffrey Trachtenberg's Wall Street Journal report is accurate, that would mean the Times decided to face the critical music and launch the scaled-back Book Review before the big LAT Festival of Books in late April. He also says the combined books and Current section tabloid will run just twelve pages, an even smaller commitment than I had heard. It "will appear with the thinner Saturday paper, which will make it not only stand out more but also save money on printing costs because circulation is lower that day than on Sunday," says the WSJ publishing reporter. This will rankle: The Tribune in Chicago still has a stand-alone book section, and the managing editor for features, Jim Warren, says "a book-review section is a small but important symbol of the support of literacy." Haven't heard a peep of that sentiment yet from the Tribune lieutenants who run the Times. The WSJ story is mostly about the failure of publishers to support book sections.
More by Kevin Roderick:
Ralph Lawler of the Clippers and the age of AquariusRiding the Expo Line to USC 'just magical'
Last bastion of free parking? Loyola Marymount to charge students
Matt Kemp, Dodgers and Kings start big weekend the right way
LA Times writers revisit their '92 riots observations
Recent Books stories on LA Observed:
Bestselling books of the week in SoCal storesThe other horrible April 29 date in Los Angeles history
Expo Line misses book festival by that much
Portrait of a Bookstore to close on Tujunga Avenue
Fiction does have a winner at LA Times Book Prizes
New at LA Observed
Follow us on Twitter
On the Media Page
Go to Media
LA Biz Observed
Go to LA Biz Observed
Sign up for daily email from LA Observed
Last look at Van Nuys location