Carl Bernstein on LAT staff cuts: "A truly awful tale"

Carl Bernstein was in LA last week for at a book signing for his recently-released Hillary Clinton biography where he was interviewed by LAObserved's Jacob Soboroff. Bernstein has much to say about the LAT - "a truly awful tale ... to watch a great newspaper get stripped and great people leave ... to watch this parent company with an interest in very little except the bottom line ..." Watch the video at LAObserved

Bernstein voices the sentiments of many we've talked to at the LAT. The Tribune's demands for higher profits from its newspapers from out-of-town corporate makes it extremely difficult for a reduced staff of managers, editors and staffers - all of whom share a strong commitment and obligation to the Los Angeles readership and community - to put out a great newspaper with fewer and fewer resources. Yes, it's being done well for the time being. But, how much longer before the next failed cost-saving and staff-cutting plan comes along? Cutting staff and resources at a profitable paper is not a way to make the LAT a better paper.