Ralphie, Baby, You're Kidding, Right?

I just received a somewhat bizarre e-mail from Ralph Nader.

Seems he wants to have a bake sale to "save" the L.A. Times.

What?!

The L.A. Times, which, as we've demonstrated repeatedly here, is merely a press release reprinting service for special interests, may soon be purchased by a couple of local billionaires -- as if that would make any difference in terms of journalistic "integrity."

Ralph, how can I put this delicately? It's a fishwrapper, my friend. There's no journalistic integrity left to protect. They print stories -- and I do mean "stories" -- merely to have something to place in between the advertisements. So forget it.

Now, can we please have tailfins back? Every time I go to the Petersen, I long for an updated version of the '59 Caddy convertible, something with antilock brakes, airbags, and style. And I can live with a six-cylinder or hybrid. But give us those beautiful fins back, would you, Ralphie?

Here's the text of his touching missive:

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Tribune Fires LA Times Editor - FAX Back!


Dear Walter Moore,

Please join me in fighting back against the Tribune Company's threat of crippling cuts in the LA Times's editorial department. The fight is being led by California's top consumer advocacy organization, The Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights.

The Tribune company has forced out popular Los Angeles Times editor Dean Baquet hoping the disturbing news would be lost in the shadow of the mid-term election.

Read the New York Times article here.

Baquet leaves a month after Tribune ousted the newspaper's publisher, Jeff Johnson, over his refusal to cut editorial staff. Baquet was seen as the last line of defense for the newspaper's editorial integrity. His removal is a sign that the Chicago owners will be slashing jobs in the newsroom of Los Angeles's major newspaper, even as local suitors seek to purchase the newspaper from the company at a fair price.

It's time for readers of the Los Angeles Times to unite and take their newspaper back. Fax the Tribune company here. Demand that Baquet be reinstated and the planned editorial cuts rescinded or that the newspaper be sold to local owners before the end of the year. Warn you'll cancel your subscription.

Here's Baquet's memo to staff: "By now you've seen the Wall Street Journal story on L.A. Observed that I'll be leaving the paper. Believe me, I didn't want it to come out this way..."

This election season, unelect the Tribune management of the LA Times. A news organization should not hide such serious news for Los Angeles in the maelstrom of election day coverage.

One alternative to distant corporate ownership is management by a nonprofit foundation or trust, which demands far less in profits than the Tribune Company, such as the St. Petersburg Times in Florida. This is the type of management LA Times subscribers deserve. Chime in with the Tribune now, it's as vital as voting!

Thanks very much for your time and efforts.

The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights is a non-profit, non-partisan consumer protection organization.