Los Angeles Times Names Andrés Martinez, Editorial Page Editor, to Oversee Op-Ed Page and Sunday Current

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13, 2005 – Andrés Martinez, editorial page editor of the Los Angeles Times, will now oversee the op-ed page and Sunday Current, in addition to his responsibilities for the editorial page, it was announced today by Jeffrey M. Johnson, publisher of the Los Angeles Times.

Martinez, 39, who joined The Times in September 2004 as editorial page editor, will report to Johnson. The change is effective immediately.

“Andrés is a great writer and journalist who has done an outstanding job changing the editorial page through a significant revamping of our approach to opinion journalism,” said Johnson. “I look forward to seeing The Times continue to engage readers on critical issues, including those of importance to the Southern California region.”

“I am grateful to Jeff for this opportunity, and excited about the prospect of working with such a talented group of individuals to publish provocative opinion pages that reflect the dynamic and vibrant culture of Los Angeles,” said Martinez. “We will continue to strive to make our pages an engaging and entertaining forum that encourages public discourse in our community and respect for ideas.”

Michael Kinsley, who has served as editorial and opinion editor since 2004, is resigning from the paper.

“Mike and I had discussions about his management responsibilities and other possible roles,” said Johnson. “I concluded that it was best to make a clean break and I wish him well.”

Prior to joining the Los Angeles Times, Martinez, was a member of the editorial board and assistant editorial page editor of The New York Times since 2004, and was an editorial writer at the paper since 2000. He also was a 2004 Pulitzer Prize finalist for editorial writing. Prior to joining The New York Times, Martinez was an editorial writer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and a reporter at The Wall Street Journal.

Martinez is the author of “24/7: Living It Up and Doubling Down in the New Las Vegas.”

Before working in journalism, Martinez practiced communications law in Washington, D.C. and served as a law clerk for a federal district judge in Dallas. A native of Mexico, Martinez earned a B.A. degree in history from Yale University in 1988, an M.A. degree in Russian history from Stanford University in 1989 and a J.D. degree from Columbia University Law School in 1992.

The Los Angeles Times, a Tribune Publishing company, is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country and the winner of 37 Pulitzer Prizes, including two this year. The Times publishes five daily regional editions, for the Los Angeles metropolitan area, Orange County, Ventura County, the San Fernando Valley, and the Inland Empire of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, as well as a National edition. Additional information about The Times is available at www.latimes.com/mediacenter.

Contact:
Martha Goldstein
213-237-3727
martha.goldstein@latimes.com