Terry Tang was named interim editor of the LA Times at the end of January. She replaces Kevin Mérida, who lost the trust of the newsroom with a series of journalist dismissals in June of last year.

Tang's appointment was preceded by a new wave of cuts announced by the newspaper's owner, billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong. The new director must guide the team of journalists in a complicated ecosystem for the written press. Large media organizations such as The Washington Post, NPR public radio and CNN, as well as younger outlets such as Vice, The Messenger and Pitchfork, have practically reduced their staffs.