<em>LA Times</em> Editor Gives Hellacious Pep Talk in the Face of Layoffs

Can't be easy right now inside the LA Times, as word continues to spread of the latest round of decimating layoffs. The paper's recent Pulitzers now seem a long way away. But California editor Ashley Dunn is doing his best to keep heads up inside the Metro section. Here's his memo to Metro: From: Dunn, Ashley Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2011 2:52 PM To: yyMetro Subject: Layoffs Comrades: As most of you have heard, there were layoffs today. We’ve all been through this before, but it doesn’t make it any easier. We’ll all miss the fine people who are leaving. For those of us still here, the hard task ahead is getting back to the business of reporting the news. It feels like rushing back into battle after a hellacious ass whipping. To those who are understandably feeling a bit down, I say: We don’t get our asses whipped, we whip asses. We don’t get ulcers, we give ulcers. Take a look at the Metro’s budget today. Nita is writing about Post Office closures and how people in towns and neighborhoods are taking it. Marosi is shining a bright light on the shitheads in the Sinaloa Cartel, and Ari is back with City Council as it wrestles with those damn red-light cameras. Don’t forget the fighting nudists of San Diego. These are the great stories we do every day about our beloved city and state. We are kicking ass in our own modest way. Life is calling out for us to write, witness and be moved. Deadline is coming. Swig that Mountain Dew, suck deeply on that Marlboro Ultralight, tell your editor to move that fucking story. This paper waits for no one. Let’s get to it. If you want to vent about the layoffs, plot strategy for the future or just shoot the shit about the old days, come on in. Ash

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LA Times Editor Gives Hellacious Pep Talk in the Face of Layoffs

Matthew Fleischer

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Matthew Fleischer