January 22nd 2024.
Kevin Merida, the first Black executive editor of The Los Angeles Times, made a surprising announcement on Jan. 19. While his industry colleagues praised him, employees of the L.A. Times, speaking anonymously to The Objective, had some criticisms. They felt that Merida was not adequately prepared to address important questions about the paper's decision to cut jobs, especially those of Black and other journalists of color in June 2023. Additionally, they were disappointed by his handling of a staff call in November, which they described as "tone-deaf."
Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who acquired the paper in 2018, consulted with Merida and together they came to the decision that his role as executive editor would conclude at the end of the week. This news came less than three years after Merida's highly anticipated arrival at the paper, where he beat out 30 other applicants to lead one of the nation's most renowned newsrooms. It now seems that the paper will have to begin the search for a new executive editor.
One of the employees described an environment that was overly focused on profitability. They shared with The Objective, "I want our newsroom to thrive, but a lot of the language here is about making a profit and getting clicks and views. It just doesn't sit right with me, and I know I'm not alone in feeling that way." They went on to say, "That's why there is some resentment towards teams like Fast Break [a team dedicated to quick coverage of breaking news and trending topics]. Are we rewarding the right things?"
Another concern raised by employees who spoke with The Objective was the paper's treatment of an employee who spoke out in support of Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas conflict. It was reported by The Hollywood Reporter that Merida clashed with Soon-Shiong's daughter, Nika, who has taken on the role of unofficial ombudsman for the paper. Nika has been known to publicly criticize journalists who do not share her progressive views. The recent conflict between Nika and Merida revolved around the paper's coverage of the Middle East war.
Senior editors expressed their outrage to Merida over a statement signed by more than three dozen reporters on Nov. 9 that was critical of Israel's invasion of Gaza while downplaying the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7. As a result, Merida imposed a 90-day restriction on the petition signers from covering the conflict. This decision reportedly did not sit well with Patrick Soon-Shiong and Nika, who has expressed pro-Palestinian views on her Twitter feed.
According to a current employee, another issue at the Times is Soon-Shiong's focus on profit, which may have played a role in Merida's abrupt departure. "The newsroom is being run as a for-profit company owned by a billionaire who wants to steer towards profit," the employee stated. "And that was his [Merida's] mandate, so he had to do it. But it wasn't a vision that I could fully support." The resignation of Merida comes on the heels of another controversy at the paper, with Sports Illustrated's publisher recently laying off staff and leaving the future of the publication uncertain. This news has sparked discussions and concerns within the Black community.
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