"Kevin Merida Steps Down as L.A. Times Executive Editor"
Los Angeles Times Executive Editor Kevin Merida is stepping down after 2½ years, leaving the newsroom under strain and presenting a challenge to the paper’s owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who must find a new top editor. The Times has fallen short of its digital subscriber goals and needs a revenue boost. Merida's departure comes after a rocky year and a devastating round of layoffs last summer, with the newsroom union growing more restive after going more than a year without a contract.