PanARMENIAN.Net
Los Angeles Times Managing Editor retires for `killing’ a story on
Armenian Genocide
30.06.2007 14:12 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ After escalating criticism from the Armenian
American community for his role in obstructing an article on the
Armenian Genocide this April and his discriminatory behavior against
Armenian American reporters, Los Angeles Times Managing Editor Douglas
Frantz has resigned effective July 6th and will be returning to
Istanbul, reported the Armenian National Committee of America-Western
Region (ANCA-WR).
This past April Frantz `killed’ a story on the Armenian Genocide that
was written by Armenian American Los Angeles Times reporter Mark
Arax. Frantz had erroneously accused Arax (who recently left the
paper) of having a `conflict of interest’ regarding reporting on the
Armenian Genocide and had also circumvented the standard editorial
process for reviewing articles. A subsequent internal investigation by
the Times deemed Frantz’s accusations to be completely baseless.
This past April, the ANCA led a grassroots campaign to raise awareness
regarding Frantz’s actions. Over 5,000 activists responded to an ANCA
action alert and sent emails and letters calling for Frantz’s
resignation. In addition, the ANCA-WR, California Courier Publisher
Harut Sassounian and other community representatives met with the
publisher and senior Los Angeles Times management on multiple
occasions during the last several months to convey the community’s
outrage regarding Frantz’s discriminatory actions.
`Doug Frantz’s resignation from the Los Angeles Times is an
appropriate answer to his unprofessional behavior and anti-Armenian
posture in the newsroom,’ remarked ANCA-WR Board member Zanku
Armenian. `The Los Angeles Times is a fine newspaper. The fact that
Frantz is returning to Istanbul tells the full story of where he
stands.’ he added.