The Los Angeles Times executive editor, Kevin Merida, announced on Tuesday that he is stepping down after less than three years in the position. In a letter to the staff, Merida expressed that he made the decision after considerable soul-searching about his career and how he can best be of value to the profession he loves. He also thanked the owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong, and his family for the opportunity to help transform the newspaper.
Merida, who joined the Los Angeles Times in June 2021, previously led an ESPN team focused on race, culture, and sport, and spent most of his career at The Washington Post. Under his leadership, the newspaper won three Pulitzer Prizes.
His departure comes at a challenging time for the newspaper, which has been facing struggles such as missing its digital subscribers’ goal. In a note to staff, Soon-Shiong expressed the commitment to the newspaper’s mission but emphasized the need to work together to build a sustainable business.
The Los Angeles Times Guild, the paper’s union, wished Merida well, calling him “a smart and thoughtful leader under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.” They also expressed eagerness to assist Soon-Shiong and his team in the search for a successor who can bring vision and clarity to the paper in the future.
Soon-Shiong stated that he and the newsroom leaders will be looking at candidates inside and outside the company to replace Merida. The Los Angeles Times did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Despite the challenges, Soon-Shiong remains committed to the newspaper’s vision for growth and innovation, and the search for a new executive editor is underway.