Ex-LA Times Editor Kevin Merida Says He Didn’t Want to Leave, Points to ‘Disagreements’ With Owner

TheGrill 2024: “It can’t fail,” Merida says about the Times, but noted it was unusual for owner Patrick Soon-Shiong to influence editorial decisions


In his first interview since abruptly leaving the Los Angeles Times in January, former executive editor Kevin Merida said “disagreements” with owner Patrick Soon-Shiong led to his exit from the paper.

Merida’s comment came during a one-on-one interview with Oliver Darcy of Status News at TheWrap’s annual Grill conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Two major job cuts — one in June 2023 that eliminated 74 newsroom positions, and another 115 layoffs in January 2024 — were a driving factor in Merida’s decision, he said. Merida resigned two weeks before the January 2024 layoffs were announced.

“I came there to try to transform the place.

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