Big boss is watching you

Bad enough that times have gotten tougher at The Times with the seemingly endless rounds of staff cuts, senior management exits and a pending lawsuit, but today LA's media watchdog, LAObserved felt compelled to issue a warning to Times staffers: according to sources, their not-so-new publisher is calling it "treason" for employees to share information about stuff going on inside the paper.

LAO's Roderick writes that "current Times leadership is unhappy enough (or paranoid enough) about stuff getting out to consider action against staffers" and advises staffers to "take precautions — use your personal email, our PO box, or pick up the phone — and don't presume they aren't watching."

For sure. As employees-at-will without benefit of just cause protection, use your best judgement.

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Cuts run deeper at LAT

Seventy-five more editorial positions are being eliminated at the LA Times. Kevin Roderick at LAObserved reports "Newsroom staffers are being told today individually and in department meetings that as many as 75 editorial positions are being cut through voluntary departures and layoffs. Some staffers were approached last week about volunteering, "enticed" with the threat that this will be the absolute final time that editorial employees will receive two weeks severance pay for each year of service when they leave."

How many parts can be surgically removed before the patient dies?

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