Archives: August 2007

That Sam Zell video? Missing from the TimesLink page and even staffers can’t view it. Makes ya think.

Also lost in cyberspace: Theresa Duncan’s post about art world ingenue Anna Gaskell. Scrubbing by a chum?

Dooce is in town, but no sightings yet.

Winkle Paw–no proof of political hanky-panky. But Dimple Paw? Whole ‘nother story.

Augusten Burroughs admits that Running With Scissors is not a memoir. It’s a book.

Russ Stanton is taking that Innovation Editor title a little too literally–the web version is going to be a ’round the clock effort. Also, the dismal video section is getting some camera operators and an editor, but the same clueless people are still involved. (Hint: hire some producers who know what to do, and ditch the Multimedia drones.)

Here’s a recent memo to the Times’ troops:

Last week, we created a new category of employee in the print newsroom: web deputy. These key people will serve as the glue between the two mediums, helping reporters and editors at the paper develop more and better content for latimes.com.

They are:

* Foreign/National: Diana Swartz, formerly projects editor at latimes.com.
* California: Mary MacVean, formerly morning assignment editor in California.
* Orange County/Inland Empire: Laura Nott, formerly copy desk chief in Orange County.
* Business: Michelle Maltais, formerly a producer in Editorial Multimedia.
* Sports: Dan Loumena, formerly an assistant sports editor.
* Calendar: Rene Lynch, formerly deputy entertainment editor in Calendar.
* Science/Health/Environment/Medicine: Martin Beck, formerly a technology editor in News Operations.
* Travel and Books: Mary Forgione, formerly a deputy editor in Travel.
* Real Estate: Annette Haddad, formerly residential real estate reporter in Business.

We are still looking to fill openings in California, Image, Food, Home and Highway 1.

These appointments follow a host of others across the newsroom this summer, underscoring our commitment to make the website the best it can be. Deputy Managing Editor Melissa McCoy set up a morning copy-editing desk to serve the website, staffing it with five of her best folks and led by Henry Fuhrmann. Melissa also ponied up copy editor Marc Olson and designer Sue Timmons, who are now the site’s overnight editors.

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JR Moehringer, the former LAT reporter whose story is the basis of Resurrecting The Champ, took issue with one of our posts (Actually, he called it “wrong, dead wrong, and libelous”). The post in question took issue with Dana Parsons.

Since everyone has issues, we asked Moehringer to air some of his. Instead, he send us some thoughtful responses:

Q. Did you have any say in the how the film portrays the journalist character? And did you worry that people would mix you up with the fictional journalist?

A: I had no say in how the film portrays anyone. Zero. Which was fitting, because this film isn’t my story. It uses my story as a starting point, a framework, to tell a very different story, about a very different kind of reporter.

Of course I initially hoped to have lots of say. When I first sold the story 10 years ago, I asked to write the screenplay. Studio execs said no. They already had a screenwriter in mind. Also, they knew I’d be wedded to the facts, which they felt were not conducive to high drama. Maybe they were right. Reporter on the phone for five hours? Reporter reading a book about boxing? Such scenes might please journalists, but for a movie, I guess, you need a little more pizazz. The studio felt the reporter character needed to be juiced up, and I sympathize. Ask my friends. I’m boring.

I never worried about a mix-up, because whenever I watch a film I know that “based on a true story” can mean anything. Not long ago I saw that Adam Sandler comedy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. Someone told me it was based on a true story. I thought that claim was the funniest thing about the movie.

Also, so much about Resurrecting the Champ is obviously fictionalized. It’s based on a story by J.R. Moehringer—but the protagonist isn’t named J.R. Moehringer. I trust that sends a loud and clear message to audiences right off the bat: License has been taken, facts have been altered. Also, the newspaper where I worked, the names of my bosses and coworkers, the essentials of my bio (I don’t have a wife and son), the location of the story, even the real name of the homeless boxer —- it’s all changed. So I assume audiences understand: Hollywood equals fiction.

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First Vivendi shifted its weight away from Mr. Jobs, and now NBC is following suit. Rivals from MTV and Amazon.com, EMI and Wal-Mart are also nipping at the digital music titan’s heels.

Per Reuters: NBC decided not to renew its contract with iTunes, pulling Battlestar Gallactica and Heroes from the teeny-tiny screen and becoming the second major media company to challenge Apple.

Per the The New York Times: MTV last week said it was going to fold its digital music service into a venture with the owners of the Rhapsody, “as part of a renewed challenge to Apple’s market-leading iTunes store.”

Per the Financial Times: “NBC appears to be embracing a rival. The media group, owned by General Electric, has begun to sell digital downloads through Amazon.com, the online retailer that is gearing up to challenge iTunes.”

One of our favorite sites on the Web, HowStuffWorks.com, takes on Emmy coverage with nary a mention of what the hell E! is going to do for its red carpet coverage now that Ryan Seacrest is hosting the show.

Instead, the site takes a high-school-science-text-book approach to the awards, letting readers know that the statuette was designed by a TV engineer who modeled it after his wife, and that it weighs 4 3/4 pounds, made of an amalgam of copper, nickel and silver, covered in 18 karat gold.

So, if you’re feeling particularly geeky, check out the story here.

Next Time You Overspend at Costco: Just remember: it could be worse.

Speaking of over-spending: Apple will announce a souped-up iPod and a deal to let iPhone users buy ring tones through the iTunes store at an event next week.

No Good Television: The anti-TMZ TV?

ValleyWag has an exclusive interview with the Burning Man early bird arsonist but no one seems very interested. Paul Addis, the terror of tent town, turns a nice phrase:

Burning Man had degenerated into a postindustrial disco.

Wired also has an “exclusive” Q & A,which is pretty much the same stuff.

Scott Beale has all the background, in case you’re thinking of pitching a feature about this.

(photo from Laughing Squid)

Via Hank Grebe, news from the world of animation:

The Zemeckis Studio, aka ImageMoversDigital, is setting up shop in San Rafael. There’s a blog, where artists post their variations on a theme. The image above is from the Hot Rod series.

There’s a little chit-chat about Sony closing the LA studio, but that’s crazy talk. Right?

Amy Alkon and her readers discover that farm subsidies aren’t just for hayseeds who live in Buttsects, Ohio.

Green acres is the place for me.

Farm livin’ is the life for me.

Land spreadin’ out so far and wide

Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside

Actually, Green Acres is where ever you want it to be. And rest assured, no matter where you live, po’ folks are far, far away.

In today’s Morning Call Time, Rob Zombie takes on Halloween’s Michael Myers, Stuart Beattie hooks up with GI Joe and Snake Eyes, and Jeffrey Nordling helps Jack Bauer move to Washington for another crazy day of 24.