The heat is on Tribune CEO Jack Griffin to put the L.A. back in the Los Angeles Times.
A dozen members of the Los Angeles City Council sent Griffin a letter on Wednesday to call on him to restore local leadership atop the embattled newspaper.
They asked the chief executive to “consider the important role that Angelenos must play in its management and ownership as you consider the possibilities for the Times’ future.” The paper confirmed it received the letter, but offered no response.
The letter came a day after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution asking Tribune Publishing “to restore local, established and invested leadership at the Los Angeles Times, and/or consider the sale of the LAT to local, established, and invested leaders.”
After the newspaper fired publisher Austin Beutner last week, it installed Tim Ryan, who came over from the Baltimore Sun. Three of Beutner’s highest-profile hires have departed since, including chief of staff Renata Simril, communications VP Johanna Maska and deputy publisher Nicco Mele.
Recent reports suggest the paper is looking to cut close to 80 positions in the coming weeks.