http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-grazer23mar23,1,320755.story?coll=la-headlines-business
Times' opinion chief quits
Editorial Page Editor Andr–s Martinez resigns after the paper cancels a guest-edited section.
By James Rainey
Times Staff Writer
March 23, 2007
Los Angeles Times Publisher David D. Hiller's decision Thursday to scrap a special opinion section to avoid the appearance of an ethical breach triggered the resignation of Editorial Page Editor Andr–s Martinez, who accused the paper's editor and publisher of overreacting.
Hiller announced early in the day that he would not publish a special Current section — featuring Hollywood producer Brian Grazer as guest editor — because it might appear to some readers that Grazer had an unfair advantage when he was selected.
Grazer has been represented by the publicity firm 42 West and executive Kelly Mullens, who is Martinez's girlfriend. Martinez and Mullens denied that their relationship influenced the decision to pick Grazer as the first in a planned series of prominent guest editors for the Current section.
In an interview Thursday night, Martinez said that halting publication of the special section "was an overreaction. It was not necessary. I think the damage to the institution was significant."
Martinez blamed Hiller and Times Editor James E. O'Shea, who both came from Chicago last fall after their predecessors left the paper under pressure from The Times' parent, Tribune Co.
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