Times Mirror Square
Los Angeles, Calif. 90053
Phone: 213/237-5000
Editor's Note: The L.A. Times is the toughest media oulet we've tried to penetrate thus far. Getting editors' phone numbers is like pulling teeth. Also, once we were able to get some of their numbers, most we reached were rather curt. That's because - we learned - they are pitched an inordinate amount of useless stuff every day. Suffice it to say, we're convinced that if you're a good PR person, you won't approach these editors and reporters unless it's very tweaked and it's specific news you've got to offer.
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Small Business The paper is expanding its small business coverage and some of the new content will be showing up at the paper's Web site as well as in its print version |
| EDITORS | Small Business Editor: Vicki Torres, Phone: 213/237-6553, Fax: 213/237-7837, E-mail: [email protected] |
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DAYS TO CONTACT/ DAYS TO AVOID |
It's best to make your pitch during the mornings Monday through Friday. |
| METHODS | Torres wants pitches to come to her by fax or over the phone. And she doesn't want any follow-up calls. |
| COMMENTS | Torres - who is frustrated by the number of needless calls she gets - said PR professionals call her with an idea, then call her to see if she's mulled over the idea and then call her to see if she's going to pursue the idea. "It's ridiculous," she said. |
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Calendar Editors don't run all the submissions they get but pitches need to have an entertainment angle - i.e., a jazz or theater performance or an art exhibit or film premiere. |
| EDITORS | Daily Calendar Editor: Oscar Garza; Sunday Calendar Editor: (calendar is expanded 80-page section which appears on the weekends), Kelly Scott, Fax: 213/237-7630 |
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DAYS TO CONTACT/ DAYS TO AVOID |
Editors wear more than one hat and work on multiple editorial tasks so don't expect them to have slow days. These newshounds are venerable experts at dealing with constant deadlines. |
| METHODS | Pitches should be faxed or mailed two weeks before the event. |
| COMMENTS | We can't stress it enough: Most of the editorial staffers we contacted at The L.A. Times are pretty soured about the PR industry. One editor - who begged us not to include her name - said: "I've reached my limit with pitches and don't have the time to read most that I get." |
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Life and Style News here falls under a variety of categories _ including society news, fashion and family features, environment and consumer affairs issues, health and fitness, and auto care advice. |
| EDITORS | Deputy Managing Editor: Terry Schwadron, Phone: 213/237-4518; Fax: 213/237-4888; E-mail: [email protected]. Fashion Editor: Mimi Avins (fax: 213/737-7355). Health and Fitness Editor: Michelle Williams (fax: 213/737-4712). Consumer Goods Editor: Bret Israel (fax:213/237-4888) |
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DAYS TO CONTACT/ DAYS TO AVOID |
Most of these editors are on deadline every day so there's no down time for them. Mornings, however, are usually better than later in the day. |
| METHODS | Generally, it's a good idea to fax or mail a pitch and to avoid making a call. If you're not sure which editor handles your genre of news, then you can e-mail Schwadron and he'll funnel it out to the right person. |
| COMMENTS | A lot of editors and reporters have to re-route the news they get so it's best to review the paper and read several issues (to get a sense of what they cover) before you blindly send out a release. |