In June 2021, Kevin Merida was named executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, becoming the first Black person to hold the prestigious role in the newspaper’s 141-year history.
However, less than three years later, Merida unexpectedly resigned on January 19th, 2023, sparking controversy and questions about his abrupt departure.
According to reporting by The Objective, some Times employees anonymously criticized Merida over his handling of questions about job cuts at the paper in 2023, particularly among Black and other journalists of color. They also deemed a November 2022 staff call with Merida as “tone-deaf.”
Clashes With Paper’s Leadership Over Coverage
Behind the scenes, Merida also clashed with Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who purchased the Times in 2018, and Soon-Shiong’s daughter Nika, the paper’s unofficial ombudsman.
One point of contention was the paper’s coverage of the 2021 Israel-Hamas war. Over three dozen Times reporters signed a letter critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza while downplaying Hamas rocket attacks on Israel. Merida imposed a 90-day restriction from Middle East coverage on letter signers, sparking backlash from the Soon-Shiongs.
Pursuit of Profitability Created Tensions
According to current Times staffers, Merida was under pressure from Soon-Shiong to aggressively pursue profitability, leading to tensions over the paper’s direction.
“The newsroom is being run as a for-profit company owned by a billionaire who wants to steer toward profit,” one anonymous staffer told The Objective. “That was [Merida’s] edict and he had to do it.”
Merida’s Groundbreaking Career
While his tenure as executive editor was cut short, Merida has had a pioneering career spanning over 40 years in journalism. After graduating from Boston University in 1979, he worked as a reporter and editor at prominent outlets like the Washington Post, Dallas Morning News, and ESPN.
At the Post, Merida spent 22 years working his way up to managing editor. He then became editor-in-chief of The Undefeated, ESPN’s platform exploring the intersection of sports, race, and culture.
A Time of Optimism and Change
When Merida was studying journalism in the 1970s, the field was undergoing transformation in the wake of Watergate and other major stories. Merida told Boston University’s COM365 that it was “an exciting time” to enter the industry.
Now at the helm of one of America’s top newspapers, Merida aimed to reinvent the L.A. Times for the digital age, broadening its reach and better reflecting Los Angeles’ diversity.
But his bold vision collided with financial realities, leading to his abrupt resignation after making history. The search begins anew for an executive editor to lead the paper into the future.
