LA Times Formally Names Terry Tang as Executive Editor

Terry Tang, who was named interim editor of the Los Angeles Times newsroom on Jan. 25, has been formally named executive editor, the Times owners Patrick and Michele Soon-Shiong announced Monday.

Tang, the first female editor in paper’s 142-year history, has “moved rapidly to reorganize the newsroom, form her own leadership team and put a heavier emphasis on traditional news gathering,” according to the Times announcement.

She took over the role from Kevin Merida, who left the paper in January after clashing with Patrick Soon-Shiong on editorial coverage. Merida resigned on Jan. 9 and Tang was named as interim editor on Jan. 25, following the departures of senior editors Shani Hilton and Sara Yasin. Their resignations were announced on Jan. 22, the same day as the historic layoffs of 120 newsroom staffers.

The editorial exits continued with Christian Stone, deputy managing editor at the Los Angeles Times, who resigned on March 29 after four years at the paper, as TheWrap exclusively reported.

Stone was lead editor on the 101 Power List, which was put on hold indefinitely. The project was originally supposed to be published in January.

Tang, who became the paper’s deputy Op-Ed editor in 2019, will continue to oversee the opinion section. She will work with Deputy Editorial Page Editor Mariel Garza, who leads the editorial board and Deputy Op-Ed Editor Susan Brenneman, who oversees the op-ed page.

“Terry in short order has demonstrated the capability of building on our legacy of excellence in journalism with stories that matter,” the Soon-Shiongs said in a joint statement. “She understands our mission to be a thriving pillar of democracy and the critical role that the L.A. Times’ voice plays — to our city, and to the world — in bringing attention to issues that matter most, especially for those whose voices are often unheard.”