The memo, via LA Observed:

To: The Staff
From: John Corrigan, Assistant Managing Editor

Pop culture aficionados have long sought out the work of Chris Lee. His keen sense of story and gift for words has led to scores of memorable pieces, including Hollywood foodies, Muslim punk rockers and the “club girls” who prowl the Sunset Strip for celebrity gossip.

His takes on celebrities rank among the very best, and the most eclectic. Zack Galifianakis, Gustavo Dudamel, Angelina Jolie, Jerry Lewis, Kanye West … all have gotten the Chris Lee treatment, to the delight of readers. He also chronicled Michael Jackson’s attempted comeback, and shared a Times Editorial Award in 2010 for his role in the breaking news coverage of Jackson’s death.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

But congrats on getting a gig, Julie Makinen.

From: Hofmeister, Sallie

Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 5:18 PM
To: yyEntertainAll

Subject: great news: we have a new movie editor. this is going wide momentarily!

We are delighted to welcome back to The Times Julie Makinen, who will succeed Tim Swanson as movie editor for the Entertainment Department. Anyone who has worked with Julie will recall her fearless and rigorous approach to new challenges. She is known for creative story ideas, sharp editing skills and grace under pressure – as well as for her home-made ice cream and witty top 10 lists.

Julie has spent the last year and half in Hong Kong as deputy business editor of the Asian edition of the International Herald Tribune, fulfilling a longtime desire to live and work in Asia. Prior to that, she held a variety of editing and reporting jobs at The Times and at the Washington Post.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The LA Times, in an effort to hold on to those younger readers, younger being anyone born after the Kennedy assassination, revamps the Thursday Calender section. From John Montorio’s memo:

Thursday, we’ll raise the curtain on an exciting double feature, when we replace Weekend with two new sections—a Calendar broadsheet devoted to the movies and a freshly imagined tabloid, The Guide, designed to help readers make the most of their recreational, cultural and entertainment choices.

Whee. We’re dizzy at the prospect. Betsey Sharkey gets two lieutenants in her campaign, who are cutely called a “power couple”:

Tim Swanson, Film Editor. Tim, a former editor at Premiere and writer at Portfolio, will directly oversee our movie coverage.

Gina McIntyre, Assistant Entertainment Editor. Gina, who most recently was an editor and writer at The Hollywood Reporter, joins us later this month. She’ll be helping to shape our TV, film and pop music coverage.

And the real reason for the two sections comes from Lynne Segall, LAT veep of entertainment and fashion advertising:

The Thursday broadsheet will now give the studios a broader canvas on which to market their films on the most crucial day to promote weekend movie-going

The Guide will also launch online in a beta version as early as mid-November. Ultimately replacing Calendar Live, the site will feature user-generated content, as well as content from an expanded staff, who’ll work more cheaply than those folks already in the building.

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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.