Morning Buzz

Morning Buzz: Tuesday 6.11.13

Politics and government

The certified final results of the May 21 election in Los Angeles raised the voter turnout to 23.34 percent of the registered voters in the city. Of the ballots cast, 45.07 percent were voted absentee or by mail. A grand total of 419,592 of people in the city voted (plus another nearly 40,000 outside the city but in areas served by LAUSD or the college district.) Eric Garcetti needed just 12.4 percent of registered voters to become mayor. City Clerk

Austin Beutner says the just-concluded mayoral campaign "didn’t get into many specifics on what either of the candidates would do or what their plans were for the city as a whole, other than the general hortatory 'make it all better.' It’s hard, therefore, to view the vote as a referendum on anything." The Planning Report

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa held a private meeting with billboard company executives to discuss digital sign proposals for Los Angeles in late May, and purposely didn't invite anyone from the city attorney's office to attend, the mayor's office confirmed Monday. DN

Villaraigosa will give opening remarks this morning at the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

City Attorney Carmen Trutanich transferred three of his political appointees -- Jane Usher, Bill Mangan and Nick Danna -- to tenure-track positions so they can keep their jobs under incoming city attorney Mike Feuer. LA Weekly

In his first public appearance since the FBI searched two of his offices last week, Sen. Ron Calderon confirmed that he has retained counsel but declined to offer any details about the nature of the investigation. Sacto Bee, AP


Media and books

kinky-books-tonys.jpgCBS' Tony Awards telecast saw viewership jump to 7.24 million people, the show's largest audience in four years. AP

Amy Ozols has been named producer of the upcoming “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” which will premiere in February and shift to 30 Rock in New York. Ozols has been a writer for “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” since the show’s premiere in 2009.

KCET launched a video series on Monday featuring Angelenos "discussing their hopes for the revitalization of the LA River and the unique ways in which it could serve the community." KCET Departures

Al Jazeera America promises less political chat and celebrity news. LAT

How people read online: Why you won’t finish this article. Slate

The Atlantic has hired Andrew Golis, the director of digital media and senior editor for PBS’s "Frontline," as the entrepreneur-in-residence. New York Observer

The anticipated sale of the Los Angeles Times and seven other Tribune Co. newspapers is shaping up as a battle of the titans with at least four big-money bidders expected to be in the running for what media experts say could be a $1 billion deal. OC Register

Kochifythenews.com is a satirical site that is part of the labor-led campaign to stop the Koch brothers from buying the LA Times.

Harry Shearer has a new title: artist in residence at Loyola University's College of Music and Fine Arts in New Orleans. NOLA News


More news, notes and observations

Santa Monica shooter John Zawahri was a loner who in 2006 was observed by a teacher looking at a website for assault weapons. Within days, the police were involved and Zawahri was admitted to UCLA's psychiatric ward. Authorities are now going through his computer looking for more information on the killer of five. LAT

Apple said Monday it will equip its new iPhones with a "kill switch" that will render the devices useless if stolen - making the Cupertino firm the first manufacturer to act on a chorus of law enforcement calls to discourage robbers who are targeting smartphones. SF Chronicle

Beginning June 22, fans will have the opportunity to tour the Rose Bowl. Info


More by Kevin Roderick:
'In on merit' at USC
Read the memo: LA Times hires again
Read the memo: LA Times losing big on search traffic
Google taking over LA's deadest shopping mall
Gustavo Arellano, many others join LA Times staff
Recent Morning Buzz stories on LA Observed:
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Morning Buzz: Wednesday 4.16.14