Times Launches Weekly Tabloid in Spanish

In an effort to broaden its reach to Southern California’s Latino community, The Times today launches a new weekly Spanish-language tabloid publication called Nuestro Tiempo, replacing a 4-year-old bilingual section of the same name that appeared 15 times a year.

The publication, with an initial controlled circulation of about 400,000, will provide expanded coverage of news, entertainment, sports and other features of interest to Latinos in Southern California. It will be the largest Spanish-language weekly newspaper in the region. In addition to complimentary home delivery in Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties, the tabloid will be available free at about 1,500 news racks and retail locations.

“This exciting new publication expands our efforts in the largely bilingual and Spanish-speaking segment of the market,” Times Publisher and Chief Executive David Laventhol said in a statement.

“This adds to the The Times itself, which already reaches much of the English-speaking Latino population, and to Times Mirror’s investment in La Opinion,” he added, referring to the Spanish-language daily in Los Angeles in which Times Mirror Co. has a 50% interest.

Today’s 52-page premiere edition features a cover story on the chances that the Mexican soccer team will win the 1994 World Cup.

The new publication will be edited by Sergio Munoz, most recently a Times editorial writer and formerly West Coast bureau chief for Univision, the nation’s largest Spanish-language television network. Munoz also was executive editor of La Opinion for seven years. Munoz will report to Carol Stogsdill, senior editor of The Times.

Michael G. Martinez, formerly vice president and general manager of Spanish-language television station KMEX-TV, will be the tabloid’s general manager. Martinez will report to Lawrence M. Higby, The Times’ executive vice president for marketing.