LA Times ousts editor-publisher and other top managers

The Los Angeles Times ousted its editor-publisher and several top newsroom executives Monday in what its parent company says is a shake-up aimed at moving one of the nation’s flagship newspapers more quickly into the digital age while bolstering its Washington coverage and other reporting.

Veteran media executive Ross Levinsohn was named Times publisher. Jim Kirk, who until last week was editor and publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times, was named interim executive editor.

The pair replace Davan Maharaj, a 28year veteran of Times who had held both titles since 2016.The Times reported that Maharaj was terminated Monday, along with Managing Editor Marc Duvoisin, Deputy Managing Editor for Digital Megan Garvey and Assistant Managing Editor of Investigations Matt Doig.

Although one of the nation’s premier newspapers, the Times has been beset with low morale in recent years following a series of buyouts and layoffs and an almost revolving-door-like atmosphere among its top executives, some of whom quit rather than make more layoffs.

Like many publications, it has struggled to move its subscriber and ad bases from print to digital.

“So it’s not really a surprise that it came to this,” veteran media business analyst Ken Doctor said of Monday’s shake-up. “It’s unusual that you see what’s been described as a purge, meaning four top editors all going at the same time, but that’s just an indication really of the end of one era.” (AP)