Times Community News to Become a Division of the Los Angeles Times

Posted on February 10, 1999

Times Community News, a unit of Times Mirror's California Community News subsidiary, will become a division of the Los Angeles Times on April 4, The Times announced Wednesday.

The administrative change involves about 350 editorial, advertising and support staff employees of Times Community News. California Publishing Services, the production and distribution arm of California Community News, will continue to operate as a separate and autonomous Times Mirror corporate unit. This change does not affect the staffing or operation of Times departments.

"This will increase the efficiency of our community news operation, improve coordination with Times departments and enhance our ability to provide the highest-quality community news to our readers," said Robert G. Magnuson, senior vice president, regions, and president of Times Community News. "Under the leadership of General Manager Judee Kendall and Editor Bill Lobdell, Times Community News has become the best community news operation in the business. We are proud and delighted to welcome them to The Times."

Times Community News publishes 16 community publications that are distributed with The Times in specific areas across Southern California. The publications include eight Our Times sections, the Costa Mesa Daily Pilot, the Glendale, Burbank and Foothill newspapers, the Pasadena Weekly, and the Westside, South Bay and San Gabriel zoned weeklies. With the exception of five Times Community News finance employees who will move to Times Mirror Square, employees on these publications will continue to work out of their current facilities.