Los Angeles Times facts for kids
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The front page of Los Angeles Times on July 10, 2021
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| Type | Daily newspaper |
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| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | Los Angeles Times Communications LLC (Nant Capital) |
| Founder(s) | |
| Founded | December 4, 1881 (as Los Angeles Daily Times) |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | 2300 E. Imperial Highway El Segundo, California 90245 |
| Country | United States |
| Circulation | 142,382 Average print circulation 105,000 Digital (2018) |
| ISSN | 0458-3035 (print) 2165-1736 (web) |
| OCLC number | 3638237 |
The Los Angeles Times is a big daily newspaper from Los Angeles, California. It started way back in 1881. Today, it's based in El Segundo, near Los Angeles. It's one of the largest newspapers in the United States, especially in the western part. The paper is owned by Patrick Soon-Shiong and has won over 40 Pulitzer Prizes for its excellent reporting.
In its early days, the Times was known for promoting Los Angeles and for being against worker unions. This led to a sad event in 1910 when its building was bombed. The newspaper became much more famous in the 1960s when Otis Chandler was in charge. He made the paper focus on news from all over the country. Like many newspapers, fewer people read the print version of the Times today. It has also gone through changes in ownership and staff.
In 2018, the newspaper staff decided to form a union. They signed their first union contract in 2019. Also in 2018, the Times moved from its old building in downtown Los Angeles to a new one in El Segundo. Since 2020, the newspaper has focused more on stories from California, especially Southern California.
Contents
- History of the Los Angeles Times
- The Los Angeles Times Today
- Pulitzer Prizes Won by the Los Angeles Times
- Competition and Other Newspapers
- Special Editions and Local Papers
- Newspaper Features
- Promotional Activities
- Other Media Ventures
- People Who Worked at the Los Angeles Times
- Images for kids
- See also
History of the Los Angeles Times
Early Years and Growth
The Los Angeles Daily Times first came out on December 4, 1881. It was started by Nathan Cole Jr. and Thomas Gardiner. They printed the paper at the Mirror printing plant. When they couldn't pay the printing bill, the Mirror Company took over the paper. In July 1882, Harrison Gray Otis became the paper's editor.
Otis was a businessman who wanted to help Los Angeles grow. His newspaper strongly supported this idea. The Times helped efforts to bring more water to the city from far-off places.
The Times was also known for being against worker unions. This led to a terrible event on October 1, 1910. The newspaper's building was bombed, and 21 people died. Two union leaders were charged with the crime.
The Chandler Family Era
After Otis passed away in 1917, his son-in-law, Harry Chandler, became the publisher. Later, Harry's son, Norman Chandler, took over in 1944. He led the paper during a time when Los Angeles grew very fast after World War I. Norman's wife, Dorothy Buffum Chandler, helped build the Los Angeles Music Center. A concert hall there is named after her.
In 1935, the newspaper moved into a new, famous building. This Art Deco building became known as the Los Angeles Times Building. The newspaper stayed there until 2018.
Otis Chandler, the fourth generation of the family, was publisher from 1960 to 1980. He wanted the Times to be as respected as famous newspapers like The New York Times. He hired more reporters and paid them better. He also expanded the paper's news coverage to include national and international stories. In 1962, the Times teamed up with The Washington Post to share articles with other news companies. Otis Chandler also made the paper's opinions more balanced, moving away from its very conservative past.
During the 1960s, the Times won four Pulitzer Prizes. This was more than it had won in its first 90 years combined!
The Los Angeles Times Today
In the early 2000s, the Los Angeles Times faced many challenges. These included changes in ownership, financial difficulties, and many changes in its editors. The paper also had to deal with fewer people buying the print newspaper.
In July 2018, the newspaper moved to a new headquarters. This building is in El Segundo, close to Los Angeles International Airport.
New Ownership and Changes
In 2000, the company that owned the Los Angeles Times was bought by the Tribune Company. This company also owned the TV station KTLA.
In 2007, a businessman named Sam Zell offered to buy the Los Angeles Times and other newspapers from the Tribune Company. But in December 2008, the Tribune Company had to file for bankruptcy. This happened because of less money from ads and a lot of debt.
On February 7, 2018, the Los Angeles Times was sold to Patrick Soon-Shiong. He is a billionaire investor in biotech. He bought the Times and two other California newspapers for $500 million. This sale was completed on June 16, 2018.
Changes in Leadership and Staff
After the ownership changes, the Times saw many changes in its leadership. Editors came and went, and many jobs were cut. This was often because the new owners wanted to cut costs.
In 2000, John Carroll became editor. He cut over 200 jobs. His replacement, Dean Baquet, refused to cut more jobs and was removed. Baquet was the first African-American editor of a major daily newspaper. During their time, the paper won 13 Pulitzer Prizes.
The newspaper also changed its content and design many times. They tried to get more people to read the paper. For example, in 2000, they reorganized the news sections. In 2009, they combined the California/Metro section with the front section.
In 2015, Austin Beutner, the publisher, was replaced by Timothy E. Ryan. More jobs were cut. In 2018, Norman Pearlstine became the executive editor. In 2021, Kevin Merida became the new executive editor. He was previously a senior vice president at ESPN.
The Times used to print its newspapers at a large facility on Olympic Boulevard. This plant closed in March 2024. Now, the Times is printed in Riverside. In January 2024, the newspaper announced that it would lay off at least 115 employees. Terry Tang was named the new executive editor in April 2024.
Newspaper Circulation
The Times has seen a steady drop in how many copies it sells. One reason is that more people are reading the news online instead of buying the print paper. The paper has tried to grow its online presence to make up for this.
In 2006, the Times closed its printing plant in the San Fernando Valley. Later, in 2010, its Orange County plant also closed. The daily circulation of the Times in 2010 was about 600,449 copies. This was much lower than its peak of over 1.2 million copies in 1990.
Online Presence and Free Papers
In 2006, a group of Times reporters wrote a report about the paper's online news. They said the Times was "web-stupid." This led to changes in how the website was managed.
In 2007, the Times launched a website called Metromix. It focused on live entertainment for young adults. They also started a free weekly newspaper version of Metromix. In 2009, Metromix was replaced by Brand X, a blog and free weekly paper for young, social media users. Brand X stopped publishing in 2011.
In May 2018, the Times blocked people in most of Europe from seeing its online news. This was because of new privacy rules in the European Union.
Pulitzer Prizes Won by the Los Angeles Times
As of 2014, the Times has won 41 Pulitzer Prizes. These awards are given for excellent journalism. The paper has won for its cartoons, and for reporting on major events like the Watts Riots in 1965 and the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
Some notable Pulitzer Prizes include:
- In 1955, photographer John L. Gaunt Jr. won for his photo Tragedy by the Sea.
- In 1984, the Times won for its newspaper series called "Latinos".
- In 1990, sportswriter Jim Murray won a Pulitzer.
- In 1999, reporters Chuck Philips and Michael Hiltzik won for showing corruption in the music business.
- In 2001, David Willman won for his report on unsafe prescription drugs.
- In 2004, the paper won five Pulitzer Prizes in one year.
- In 2009, Bettina Boxall and Julie Cart won for their work on wildfires in the western United States.
- In 2011, Barbara Davidson won for her photos of gang violence victims.
- In 2016, the Times won for its coverage of the mass shooting in San Bernardino.
- In 2019, three reporters, Harriet Ryan, Matt Hamilton, and Paul Pringle, won for their investigation into a doctor accused of abusing students at the University of Southern California.
Competition and Other Newspapers
In the past, the Times had several rivals in Los Angeles. In the 19th century, its main competitor was the Los Angeles Examiner. In 1903, William Randolph Hearst started publishing the Los Angeles Examiner to compete directly with the Times.
By the mid-1940s, the Times was the most popular newspaper in the Los Angeles area. In 1948, it launched the Los Angeles Mirror, a smaller afternoon paper. This paper later combined with another, but eventually stopped publishing in 1962. The Herald-Examiner also stopped publishing in 1989.
In 2014, the Los Angeles Register was launched to compete with the Times. However, it closed down later that same year.
Special Editions and Local Papers
Past Special Editions
For 69 years, from 1885 to 1954, the Times published a special Midwinter Number on New Year's Day. This edition praised the good things about Southern California. It started as a 24-page paper and grew to be very large, sometimes with multiple sections. These special editions were like guidebooks and travel magazines.
Between 1891 and 1895, the Times also published a similar Midsummer Number. The first one was about "The Land and Its Fruits."
Local Editions and Subsidiary Papers
In 1903, the Times used a new radio link to publish a local daily paper in Avalon, on Santa Catalina Island. It was called The Wireless and had local news. This paper only lasted for about a year.
In the 1990s, the Times published different editions for specific areas. These included editions for the San Fernando Valley, Ventura County, and Orange County. There was also a "National Edition" for places like Washington, D.C., but it closed in 2004.
Today, the Times has community supplements called Our Times. A company called Times Community Newspapers, which is part of the Times, publishes the Daily Pilot for Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. It also used to publish other local papers like the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader. In 2020, these local papers were sold to another publisher.
Newspaper Features
One special feature of the Times was "Column One." This appeared daily on the front page. It was known for interesting and unusual stories. The goal was to make readers say, "Gee, that's interesting, I didn't know that!"
The Times also does a lot of investigative journalism. This means reporters dig deep to uncover important stories. For example, a series in 2004 about the King/Drew Medical Center led to a Pulitzer Prize. Another series in 2009 about Skid Row in Los Angeles later became a movie called The Soloist.
From 1967 to 1972, the Times had a Sunday magazine called West. It was known for its great art design. From 2000 to 2012, the Times published the Los Angeles Times Magazine, which focused on people, places, and culture in Los Angeles. Since 2014, The California Sunday Magazine has been included in the Sunday L.A. Times.
Promotional Activities
Festival of Books
Since 1996, the Times has hosted the annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. This event brings together authors, readers, and publishers. It features discussions, exhibits, and stages. It is held over two days at the end of April each year. In 2011, the festival moved to the University of Southern California.
Book Prizes
Since 1980, the Times has given out annual book prizes. These awards recognize great books in different categories. These include biography, fiction, history, poetry, and young adult fiction. There is also a special award for authors connected to the American West.
Los Angeles Times Grand Prix
From 1957 to 1987, the Times sponsored the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix. This was a car race held at the Riverside International Raceway in Moreno Valley, California.
Other Media Ventures
Book Publishing
The Times Mirror Corporation, which used to own the Los Angeles Times, also owned several book publishers. These included New American Library and Harry N. Abrams.
In 1960, Times Mirror bought New American Library. This company was known for publishing affordable paperback versions of classic books. In 1967, Times Mirror also bought C.V. Mosby Company, which published professional books.
Broadcasting Activities
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Formerly
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KTTV, Inc. (1947–1963) |
|---|---|
| Private | |
| Industry | Broadcast television Media |
| Fate | Acquired by Argyle Television (sold to New World Communications in 1994) |
| Founded | December 1947 |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Headquarters | , |
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Area served
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 United States |
| Products | Broadcast and cable television |
| Parent | The Times-Mirror Company (1947–1963, 1970–1993) Silent (1963–1970) |
The Times-Mirror Company was one of the first owners of the TV station KTTV in Los Angeles. It started in 1949. Times-Mirror also bought a movie studio in Hollywood in 1950. This studio was used for KTTV's operations. In 1963, KTTV and the studio were sold.
Later, in 1970, Times-Mirror Broadcasting Company bought the Dallas Times Herald newspaper and its radio and TV stations in Dallas. They also bought other TV stations in places like Austin, Texas and St. Louis. The company also got into cable television in areas like Phoenix and San Diego. These cable systems were later sold in the mid-1990s.
Stations Owned by Times-Mirror Broadcasting
| City of license / market | Station | Channel TV / (RF) |
Years owned | Current ownership status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | WVTM-TV | 13 (13) | 1980–1993 | NBC affiliate owned by Hearst Television |
| Los Angeles | KTTV 1 | 11 (11) | 1949–1963 | Fox owned-and-operated (O&O) |
| St. Louis | KTVI | 2 (43) | 1980–1993 | Fox affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
| Elmira, New York | WETM-TV | 18 (18) | 1980–1986 | NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
| Syracuse, New York | WSTM-TV | 3 (24) | 1980–1986 | NBC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group |
| Harrisburg - Lancaster - Lebanon - York |
WHTM-TV | 27 (10) | 1980–1986 | ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
| Austin, Texas | KTBC-TV | 7 (7) | 1973–1993 | Fox owned-and-operated (O&O) |
| Dallas - Fort Worth | KDFW-TV 2 | 4 (35) | 1970–1993 | Fox owned-and-operated (O&O) |
Notes:
- 1 Co-owned with CBS until 1951 in a joint venture;
- 2 Purchased along with KRLD-AM-FM as part of Times-Mirror's acquisition of the Dallas Times Herald.
People Who Worked at the Los Angeles Times
Unionization Efforts
On January 19, 2018, employees in the news department voted to join a union. This was a big change, as the newspaper had been against unions for over 100 years. The vote happened even though the paper's management did not want a union.
Writers and Editors
- Dean Baquet, editor 2000–2007
- Martin Baron, assistant managing editor 1979–1996
- James Bassett, reporter, editor 1934–1971
- Skip Bayless, sportswriter 1976–1978
- Barry Bearak, reporter 1982–1997
- Jim Bellows (1922–2005), editor 1967–1974
- Sheila Benson, film critic 1981–1991
- Martin Bernheimer, music critic, 1982 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
- Bettina Boxall, reporter, 2009 Pulitzer Prize
- Jeff Brazil, reporter 1993–2000
- Harry Carr (1877–1936), reporter, columnist, editor
- John Carroll, editor 2000–2005
- Julie Cart, reporter, 2009 Pulitzer Prize
- Charles Champlin (1926–2014), film critic 1965–1980
- Sewell Chan, editor of the editorial page
- Michael Cieply, entertainment writer
- Shelby Coffey III, editor 1989–1997
- K. C. Cole, science writer
- Michael Connelly, crime reporter, novelist
- Thomas Curwen, reporter
- Borzou Daragahi, Beirut bureau chief
- Manohla Dargis, film critic
- Meghan Daum, columnist
- Anthony Day (1933–2007), op-ed writer, editor 1969–89
- Frank del Olmo (1948–2004), reporter, editor 1970–2004
- Al Delugach (1925–2015), reporter 1970–1989
- Barbara Demick, Beijing bureau chief, author
- Robert J. Donovan (1912–2003), Washington bureau chief
- Mike Downey, columnist 1985–2001
- Bob Drogin, national political reporter
- Roscoe Drummond (1902–1983), syndicated columnist
- E. V. Durling (1893–1957), columnist 1936–1939
- Bill Dwyre, sports editor and columnist 1981–2015
- Braven Dyer, sports reporter, sports editor 1925–1965
- Louis Dyer, reporter, editor LA Mirror, Home Magazine 1934–1955
- William J. Eaton (1930–2005), correspondent 1984–1994
- Richard Eder (1932–2014), book critic, 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
- Gordon Edes, sportswriter 1980–1989
- Helene Elliott, sports columnist
- Leonard Feather (1914–1994), jazz critic
- Dexter Filkins, foreign correspondent 1996–1999
- Frank Finch, sportswriter 1944–1976
- Nikki Finke, entertainment reporter
- Thomas Francis Ford (1873–1958), U.S. Congress member, literary and rotogravure editor, City Council member
- Douglas Frantz, managing editor 2005–2007
- Jeffrey Gettleman, Atlanta bureau chief 1999–2002
- Jonathan Gold, food writer, 2007 Pulitzer Prize
- Patrick Goldstein, film columnist 2000–2012
- Carl Greenberg (1908–1984), political writer
- Jean Guerrero, opinion columnist
- Joyce Haber, gossip columnist 1966–1975
- Bill Henry (1890–1970), columnist 1939–1970
- Robert Hilburn, music writer 1970–2005
- Shani Olisa Hilton, deputy managing editor
- Michael Hiltzik, investigative reporter, 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting
- Hedda Hopper (1885–1966), Hollywood columnist 1938–1966
- L. D. Hotchkiss (1893–1964), editor 1922–1958
- Pete Johnson, rock critic of the 1960s
- David Cay Johnston, reporter 1976–1988
- Jonathan Kaiman, Asia correspondent 2015–2016
- K. Connie Kang (1942–2019) first female Korean American journalist
- Philip P. Kerby, 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
- Ann Killion, sportswriter 1987–1988
- Grace Kingsley (1874–1962), film columnist 1914–1933
- Michael Kinsley, op-ed page editor 2004–2005
- Christopher Knight, art critic, 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
- William Knoedelseder, business writer
- Howard Lachtman, literary critic
- David Lamb (1940–2016), correspondent 1970–2004
- David Laventhol (1933–2015), publisher 1989–1994
- David Lazarus, business columnist
- Rick Loomis, photojournalist, 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting
- Stuart Loory (1937–2015), White House correspondent 1967–1971
- Steve Lopez, columnist
- Charles Fletcher Lummis (1859–1928), city editor 1884–1888
- Davan Maharaj (born c.1958), (1989–2016) former managing editor 2007–2011, editor-in-chief and publisher, from 2011–2016
- Al Martinez (1929–2015), columnist 1984–2009
- Andres Martinez, op-ed page editor 2004–2007
- Dennis McDougal, reporter 1982–1992
- Usha Lee McFarling, reporter, 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting
- Kristine McKenna, music journalist 1977–1998
- Mary McNamara, TV critic, 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
- Doyle McManus, Washington bureau chief
- Charles McNulty, theater critic
- Alan Miller, 2003 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting
- T. Christian Miller, investigative journalist 1999–2008
- Kay Mills, editorial writer 1978–1991
- Carolina Miranda, arts and culture critic 2014–present
- J.R. Moehringer, feature writing, 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing
- Patt Morrison, columnist
- Suzanne Muchnic, art critic 1978–2009
- Kim Murphy, assistant managing editor for foreign and national news, 2005 Pulitzer Prize
- Jim Murray (1919–1998), sports columnist, 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary
- Sonia Nazario, feature writing, 2003 Pulitzer Prize
- Dan Neil, columnist, 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
- Chuck Neubauer, investigative journalist
- Ross Newhan, baseball writer 1967–2004
- Jack Nelson (1929–2009), political reporter, 1960 Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting
- Anne-Marie O'Connor, reporter
- Nicolai Ouroussoff, architectural critic
- Scot J. Paltrow, financial journalist 1988–1997
- Olive Percival, columnist
- Bill Plaschke, sports columnist
- Michael Parks, foreign correspondent, editor, 1987 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting
- Russ Parsons, food writer
- Mike Penner (1957–2009) (Christine Daniels), sportswriter
- Chuck Philips, investigative reporter, 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting
- Michael Phillips, film critic
- Charles T. Powers, foreign correspondent, later novelist
- George Ramos (1947–2011), reporter 1978–2003
- Richard Read, reporter, 1999 Pulitzer Prize 2001 Pulitzer Prize
- Ruth Reichl, restaurant and food writer 1984–1993
- Rick Reilly, sportswriter 1983–1985
- Lisa Richardson, editorial writer 1992–2022
- James Risen, investigative journalist 1984–1998
- Howard Rosenberg, TV critic, 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
- Tim Rutten, columnist 1971–2011
- Harriet Ryan, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter
- Ruth Ryon (1944–2014), real estate writer 1977–2008
- Morrie Ryskind, feature writer 1960–1971
- Kevin Sack, Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2003
- Ruben Salazar (1928–1970), reporter, correspondent 1959–70
- Robert Scheer, national correspondent 1976–1993
- Lee Shippey (1884–1969), columnist 1927–1949
- David Shaw (1943–2005), 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
- Gaylord Shaw, reporter, 1978 Pulitzer Prize
- Gene Sherman (1915–1969), reporter, 1960 Pulitzer Prize
- Barry Siegel, feature writing, 2002 Pulitzer Prize
- T. J. Simers, sports columnist 1990–2013
- Jack Smith (1916–1996), columnist 1953–1996
- Cecil Smith (1917–2009), features writer and reporter 1947–1958; television critic and entertainment editor 1958–1964; drama critic 1964–1969; television critic and columnist 1969–1982
- Bob Sipchen, editorial writing, 2002 Pulitzer Prize
- Frank Sotomayor, reporter, editor
- Bill Stall (1937–2008), editorial writing, 2004 Pulitzer Prize
- Joel Stein, columnist
- Jill Stewart, reporter 1984–1991
- Rone Tempest, investigative reporter 1976–2007
- Kevin Thomas, film critic 1962–2005
- William F. Thomas (1924–2014), editor 1971–1989
- Hector Tobar, columnist, book critic
- William Tuohy (1926–2009), foreign correspondent, 1969 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting
- Kenneth Turan, film critic
- Julia Turner, deputy managing editor
- Peter Wallsten, national political reporter
- Matt Weinstock (1903–1970), columnist
- Kenneth R. Weiss, 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting
- Nick Williams (1906–1992), editor 1958–1971
- David Willman, 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting
- Michael Wines, correspondent 1984–1988
- Jules Witcover, Washington correspondent 1970–1972
- Gene Wojciechowski, sportswriter 1986–1996
- Willard Huntington Wright (1888–1939), literary editor
- Jeanne Voltz, food editor
- Kimi Yoshino, managing editor
Cartoonists
- Paul Francis Conrad (1924–2010), Pulitzer Prize in 1964, 1971, and 1984
- Ted Rall
- David Horsey, Pulitzer Prize in 1999 and 2003
- Frank Interlandi (1924–2010)
- Michael Patrick Ramirez, Pulitzer Prize in 1994 and 2008
- Bruce Russell (1903-1963), Pulitzer Prize in 1946
Photographers
- Don Bartletti, Pulitzer Prize in 2003
- Carolyn Cole, Pulitzer Prize in 2004
- Rick Corrales (1957–2005), photographer 1981–1995
- Mary Nogueras Frampton (1930–2006), one of the paper's first female photographers
- Jose Galvez, photographer 1980–1992
- John L. Gaunt Jr. (1924–2007), Pulitzer Prize in 1955
- Rick Loomis, photojournalist, 2007 Pulitzer Prize
- Anacleto Rapping, multiple Pulitzer Prizes
- George Rose, photojournalist 1977–1983
- George Strock, photojournalist of the 1930s
- Annie Wells, photojournalist 1997–2008
- Clarence Williams, Pulitzer Prize in 1998
Images for kids
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Front page of the March 25, 1903, debut issue of The Wireless
See also
In Spanish: Los Angeles Times para niños
