The CEO of the Los Angeles Times, John Puerner, will leave his post on June 1st in order to pursue a "well-deserved career break", according to LA Observed:

TO: Times Employees FROM: Scott Smith, President, Tribune Publishing

Today we are announcing an important management transition at the Los Angeles Times. On June 1, Jeff Johnson will succeed John Puerner as president, publisher and CEO. As you'll read in John's note that follows, he is planning a well-deserved career break. Having worked closely with John throughout his 26-year career, I am deeply grateful for his strong and wise leadership in each of his important roles with our company.

For the past five years, John has successfully guided the Los Angeles Times transition to Tribune ownership. Over this period, the Times has made excellent progress in many ways including advancing editorial quality, improving operating efficiency and investing to better serve readers and advertisers.

Note that the Tribune Co. did not make room for Puerner, either at his request or theirs. Puerner will go off on a "career break" after a tumultuous five-year reign at the top of the LAT, presiding over a decline in readership and sharper critical attacks than at any time of its existence. The nadir probably came two weeks ago, when the paper ran what essentially amounted to the republication of North Korean propaganda.

Perhaps a new CEO will address the drift of the leading West Coast daily towards increasing irrelevance. If so, the first decision will have to address managing editor John Carroll, whose erratic stewardship has demolished the LAT's credibility, especially since the recall election of October 2003 and their incredibly slanted coverage of Arnold Schwarzenegger. With the single exception of hiring Michael Kinsley as their editorial-page editor, Carroll has done nothing but run the paper further into the ground. Jeff Johnson will have his hands full no matter what he does.

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» New CEO at LA Times from Cheat-Seeking Missiles
The LATimes has an opportunity to change with the resignation of its CEO John Puerner -- but institutions and individuals don't change if they don't think change is needed. So we'll wait with very modest anticipation. [Read More]

Tracked on March 22, 2005 9:37 PM

» L.A. Times Changes Leadership from Ed Driscoll.com
After reading the story below and its immediate predecessor, with is sympathetic look at North Korea, this is somewhat welcome news. To be honest though, just as when their east coast namesake changed editors, I'm not expecting miracles.... [Read More]

Tracked on March 22, 2005 10:53 PM

» L.A. Times Changes Leadership from Ed Driscoll.com
After reading the story below and its immediate predecessor, with its sympathetic look at North Korea, this is somewhat welcome news. To be honest though, just as when their east coast namesake changed editors, I'm not expecting miracles.... [Read More]

Tracked on March 22, 2005 11:01 PM