How To Pitch: Los Angeles

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Frequency: Monthly
Special issues: Best of L.A. in August

Background: Los Angeles editors constantly find themselves defending the city of angels in their magazine due to many misconceptions correspondents and visitors have about the city -- George Carlin once described it as having "a charming kind of superstitious innocence," and Norman Mailer called it "a constellation of plastic." As a result, Los Angeles is adamant about speaking to Angelenos, not at them.

"Under the guidance of [new editor-in-chief] Mary Melton, Los Angeles strives to explain the city to itself," says managing editor Ann Herold. Melton sees the magazine as "a place of discovery," she says. "We help readers navigate this huge and complex city with stories that are practical and surprising."

The magazine's strong regional presence of 50 years has achieved national profile with seven nominations for National Magazine Awards over the past decade. It stands apart from competitors, who tend to focus mainly on service journalism, with its mix of news features, general-interest pieces on business and culture, longer profiles, a recently added Q&A column (called Speak Easy) that engages civic leaders and others in conversation about the city, and a column that focuses on the entertainment industry. "Great writing, gripping narratives, beautiful layouts, and indispensable service are at the core of Los Angeles," says Melton....

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