Magnuson Is Named President of Times’ Orange County Edition

The Los Angeles Times on Tuesday named Robert Magnuson president of its Orange County Edition and a vice president of The Times.

Magnuson, 44, has been editor of the paper’s Business section since 1990. He replaces Judith L. Sweeney, 40, who resigned May 28 to pursue other interests.

Magnuson’s appointment is effective immediately, according to The Times, but Sweeney will remain with the paper until July 1 to help with the transition.

Times Publisher Richard T. Schlosberg III said Magnuson’s new position has been restructured to help make the Orange County Edition more competitive in its market.

“Consolidating responsibility for editorial and business operations is going to centralize decision making and make us stronger and more agile in this key regional market,” Schlosberg said. “We’re very fortunate to have someone of Bob’s background to take on such a challenging job.

“He understands both the editorial and business issues, and he has a great deal of enthusiasm for the edition and a strong commitment to our success in the region.”

Magnuson will report to Times Senior Editor and Vice President Carol Stogsdill on editorial matters and to Senior Vice President Jeffrey S. Klein on business issues.

The appointment marks a return to Orange County for Magnuson, a 15-year veteran of The Times. He joined the edition in 1984 as business editor and subsequently served as city editor and managing editor.

Magnuson described his new role as “an exciting and challenging opportunity in a highly competitive market. I’m looking forward to returning to Orange County and working with the tremendously talented staff to take the edition to new heights, on both the editorial and business sides.”

Magnuson joined The Times in 1979 as a staff writer. He left in 1982 to become the Hong Kong bureau chief of the Asian Wall Street Journal and, after a brief stint with the Oakland Tribune, joined the Orange County Edition as business editor.

He was named assistant metro editor of The Times in 1987, senior metro editor in 1989 and became editor of the Business section in 1990.

Magnuson earned a master’s degree in economics from the University of Massachusetts and a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Berkeley.

Orange County is a key market for The Times. According to Audit Bureau of Circulations figures for the six months ended March 31, the edition has 200,112 daily and 286,331 Sunday subscribers.

The Times has 700 employees at its plant in Costa Mesa, where the Orange County Edition has been published since 1968.