Wednesday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting ended with several councilmembers openly criticizing the mass layoffs announced Tuesday at the Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Times Guild said that “young journalists of color have been disproportionately affected,” including heavy cuts to De Los, a Latino-focused vertical launched last year. L.A. Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, a biotech billionaire, made strides to diversify the newsroom after buying the publication in 2018, hiring 150 editorial staffers. But Soon-Shiong said the L.A. Times is losing $30 million to $40 million annually, and the cuts are necessary to keep the business sustainable. Tuesday's layoffs follow the elimination of more than 70 newsroom positions at the L.A. Times last summer.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 25, 2024 05:20 UTC