Another local music critic down, not many left to go. Alan Rich, who is at least 83, was let go as classical music critic over lunch with LA Weekly editor Laurie Ochoa, reports Laura Stegman at PRLosAngelesMediaMoves.

After getting the news earlier today, I spoke with Alan late tonight, and he said, "It's open season on critics. We are an endangered species. I was surprised, but I wasn't surprised." He says the decision was made "by the corporate people in Phoenix," and that when Editor Laurie Ochoa gave him the news over lunch, "she was as sorry as can be."

The good news is that Alan will be putting up a web site by the time his last review appears in the Weekly two weeks hence. "I don't know anything else but how to write about music," he says, "so that's what I'll continue to do."

Also from Stegman: Los Angeles radio veteran Gail Eichenthal was promoted to program director at KUSC and Brian Lauritzen became producer, with day to day responsibility for "Arts Alive."

Previously:
Stuck in Alan Rich's craw