Angeles Times

Analysts enthusiastically greeted the proposed acquisition of Times Mirror Co. by the Tribune Co., combining two of the country's oldest newspaper publishers, saying the deal announced yesterday would create a national media firm reaching more than half of the nation's top 30 markets and propel it into the multimedia world of the 21st century. Yesterday, directors of the two companies approved the sale -- valued at $8 billion in cash, stock and debt -- although it is subject to shareholder and federal regulatory approvals.

LOS ANGELES -- While expressing disappointment over his winless streak in the Democratic presidential contest, former Sen. Bill Bradley said yesterday that he has no intention of abandoning his challenge to Vice President Al Gore. Rumors that Bradley might be quitting the race after losing badly on Tuesday in Washington, a state where he invested money and almost a week of his time, overshadowed last night's televised debate between the two Democrats. But their 90-minute joint appearance, the ninth and possibly last of the campaign, might have been the clearest indication yet that the contest for the Democratic nomination has effectively ended.

Maybe the tests, not our children, are the ones that are failing Do you realize the word fail or its derivative was used 12 times in last weeks news stories and editorial about education? Can you imagine at the age of 8 being told that you are a failure? The children in this state are not failures. The Maryland State Board of Education, however, has failed our children. Its time parents and taxpayers get involved and understand how one test is consuming education. An 8-year-old takes this 15 hour test for five days.

LOS ANGELES -- Times Mirror Co., the nation's No. 3 publisher of newspapers, said yesterday that fourth-quarter profit fell nearly 12 percent because of higher interest expense from new debt to fund a transaction with its controlling Chandler family. Profit from continuing operations fell to $67.5 million from $75.5 million in the year-earlier period. A decrease in the number of shares outstanding caused per-share profit to rise to $1.03 from 87 cents, matching analysts' estimates. Times Mirror and the Chandler family last year transferred $2.5 billion in cash, investments and stock to a new partnership as part of a recapitalization that cut the number of Times Mirror's shares outstanding and its preferred dividend payments.

THE controversy that rocked the Los Angeles Times this fall raises a host of profound issues at the core of journalism -- issues that have been lost in the overheated, often ad hominem, rhetoric condemning Los Angeles Times management for directing its news staff to produce a magazine on the city's new sports arena, the Staples Center, and then splitting the $2 million in ad revenues raised by the project.In newspaper journalism, in theory at least, the principles of detachment and objectivity still govern, and there is a general feeling that journalists should keep at arms-length distance from their subjects.

A newsroom in revolt, a scathing denunciation of senior management from a legendary former publisher, wall-to-wall condemnation from the journalistic community, and readers questioning the integrity and credibility of the newspaper itself.That's the situation the Los Angeles Times finds itself in as the result of a business deal made last month between its publisher and the owners of a new sports arena."This is something that has clearly been very damaging to a great newspaper," says Rem Rieder, editor of the American Journalism Review, published by the the University of Maryland's college of journalism.

WASHINGTON -- A former member of President Clinton's Cabinet has for the first time acknowledged that he helped former Justice Department official Webster L. Hubbell pry loose a disputed consulting fee from the city of Los Angeles, months after Hubbell pleaded guilty to felony charges.Mickey Kantor, who served in the Cabinet from 1993 until January, said this year that it would have been "inappropriate" for him to have gotten involved with the Los Angeles payment to Hubbell.But in sworn testimony to congressional investigators -- a transcript of which was obtained by the Los Angeles Times -- and in an interview, Kantor described steps he took to help Hubbell obtain the $24,750 payment from the city government in late 1995.

Call it the ultimate advertising coup or simple serendipity.Whatever it was, it sold mattresses.When the calls rolled in to the Laurel office of Dial-A-Mattress last Saturday, the question was the same: "What is the answer to the clue for 1 Down in today's crossword puzzle?"Sales staff members were a bit puzzled. All except one, who was doing The Sun's crossword puzzle and found this clue: Order for 1-800-Mattres. He knew the answer. Serta, of course.But thousands of people were stumped. So they called the number and were connected with Dial-A-Mattress.

LOS ANGELES -- After a humiliating loss of his congressional seat to a political novice, nine-term Rep. Robert K. Dornan was dismissed by many as a sore loser for his seemingly outlandish allegations of voter fraud.But one day after the Orange County Republican filed an official challenge of the results with the House of Representatives, a published report yesterday lent some credibility to Dornan's theory that noncitizens voted for his opponent, Democrat Loretta Sanchez, on Nov. 5.The Los Angeles Times reported that 19 Orange County residents admitted to the newspaper that they registered and cast ballots even though they had not yet become naturalized citizens.

A rebounding newspaper business helped Times Mirror Co. post a 50 percent gain in earnings for the third quarter of this year, the company said yesterday.With advertising up and costs down, the publisher of such newspapers as The Sun, the Los Angeles Times and Newsday reported third-quarter net income of $55.7 million. For the same period last year, the company earned $35.1 million -- not counting the cost of corporate restructuring."Led by the outstanding performance of our newspaper publishing segment, we exceeded our financial objectives for the 1996 third quarter," said Mark H. Willes, Times Mirror's chairman, president and chief executive officer.