The Los Angeles Times isn’t taking any chances.
Following the appearance of anthrax-tainted letters at media outlets on the East Coast, the paper has taken several steps to ensure the safety of its employees. This includes X-raying mail, hiring a security consultant, and constructing a new mailroom with its own ventilation system, according to an internal memo.
“We’re taking such precautionary steps even though we have not received any credible threats against The Times, nor have we discovered any evidence of contamination by harmful materials within our facilities,” Publisher John Puerner told employees in the memo.
Times officials declined to comment.
“We’re not going to go beyond what we’ve disclosed internally,” said spokesman David Garcia. “Obviously, security is a sensitive issue.”
Tribune Co., which owns the Times and several other papers, last week issued a memo to employees, announcing the formation of a safety and security task force.
Restructuring R & R;
R & R; has promoted five of its own as part of a restructuring effort meant to streamline the trade magazine’s operations.
The promotions resulted from a redefinition of titles and an expansion of responsibilities, said Publisher and Chief Executive Erica Farber. The idea was to give these employees greater authority to cut down on the time wasted in getting approvals from superiors, she explained.
In Other News…
Kevin Weatherly of KROQ-FM (106.7) made it onto Radio Ink magazine’s “2001 Best Program Directors in America” list…”California Capitol Review,” the weekly political show broadcast locally by KCET-TV Channel 28 on Saturdays, was cancelled…Clear Channel Communications Inc. promoted Roy Laughlin and Charlie Rahilly from co-managers of the L.A. market to regional vice presidents. Laughlin and Rahilly had been overseeing operations of Clear Channel’s eight L.A. radio stations, which include KYSR-FM (98.7) and KIIS-FM (102.7). In their new posts, the two will be responsible for stations in additional areas, including Bakersfield, Riverside and Santa Barbara…Em-ployees who stood to lose their jobs when Connors Communications decided to undertake major layoffs at its Los Angeles office have found a new home at Allison & Partners. Scott Allison, formerly Connors president, and other investors purchased the PR firm’s West Coast assets and set up shop with offices in L.A. and San Francisco. They kept all of Connors’ West Coast employees and clients.
Staff reporter Claudia Peschiutta can be reached at (323) 549-5225 ext. 229 or at [email protected].
