Hoy L.A. appoints new publisher
Advertising veteran Roaldo Moran has joined Hoy L.A. as publisher and general manager of the free Spanish-language daily newspaper and its weekend edition, Hoy Fin de Semana, Los Angeles Times Media Group announced.
Moran, 42, a Los Angeles resident since childhood, has been chairman of Creadtiva Communications Inc., the Latino-oriented brand marketing agency he founded in 2005. Before that, he was vice president of sales for Univision Radio Network.
“Ro is a true entrepreneur,” said John O’Loughlin, president of targeted media for Los Angeles Times Media Group, which includes The Times, Hoy and other publications. “He brings a great track record of results, a commanding grasp of the L.A. media marketplace and leadership skills that will only further bolster Hoy’s growth trajectory.”
Javier J. Aldape, Hoy L.A.’s editor and general manager since 2006, will leave the newspaper after a transition period. The rest of Hoy’s senior editorial staff will remain, O’Loughlin said.
In a bid to push deeper into its target audience of Latino families with children at home, Hoy Fin de Semana recently raised its free, home-delivered circulation to 500,000 from 350,000 and began participating in a large preprinted advertising program with The Times and other newspapers. Hoy L.A.’s circulation is about 70,000 Monday through Thursday and 137,000 on Friday, O’Loughlin said.
Spanish-language newspapers have been less affected than English-language papers by competition from the Internet for classified ads, he said. Unlike The Times and most other large newspapers, Hoy has recorded year-over-year revenue gains, O’Loughlin said.
Hoy, distributed at newsstands and sidewalk boxes, shares some editorial content with its sister publication, Hoy Chicago. Tribune Co., parent company of The Times and Hoy, is considering ways to revamp the tabloid-style publications, including reducing their width to save newsprint and strengthening their Web platform, at www.hoyinternet.com.
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