Times responds to broadcasters

"In fact, we made no errors," John T. O'Loughlin, President/Targeted Media and SVP/Marketing for Los Angeles Times Media Group, writes to the head of the Southern California Broadcasters Assn. Here's what's it about, and here's his note:

Dear Ms. Garber,

My name is John O’Loughlin, and I am the Los Angeles Times Media Group’s President, Targeted Media and SVP of Marketing. As such, I oversaw The Times competitive media promotion initiative and the statements made in that campaign and the creative elements which you have questioned are not, in fact editorial. They are promotional, and therefore were not created with any connection to our editorial department or editorial content and therefore, I am responding to your letter. I want to make sure you understand the distinction since you had included Russ Stanton, John Arthur and Davan Maharaj in that correspondence.

To the specific points in your letter, we worked closely with Scarborough in preparing the campaign, including comparisons to magazines, other newspapers and radio. One step further, we went back to our colleagues at Scarborough to review the inaccuracies you claim that we made by line item (attached). In fact, we made no errors and I am copying Scarborough’s Mitch McKinnon, Account Director/Print & Digital Media Services, and Gary Meo, Senior Vice President, Print and Internet Sales here.

Beyond clarifying the data, I will also mention that while layoffs and budget reductions are a tough part of all media in recent years, they are certainly not something to be joked about or taken lightly – as the scores of people who’ve been let go from Clear Channel and Infinity’s Los Angeles operations in the last year would also certainly agree. Your remark about such reductions in our organization is a bit insulting to our staffers both past and current, and is beneath a quality organization like the SCBA.

Thanks for your note,

John

John T. O'Loughlin
President/Targeted Media and SVP/Marketing
Los Angeles Times Media Group