state. We note that 57 of the 918 U.S. articles were about immigration from a national perspective. As California sits on our nation’s border, immigration in some instances could be considered within the California geographic area of concern. We categorized immigration articles as U.S. when they did not directly tie the issue to Los Angeles or California.
Consumer Watchdog’s review also looked at where the op-ed authors resided. Our study showed2 that nearly six in ten (58.5%) of the authors live outside the state of California. Based on our data, only 23.6% of the op-ed authors live in Los Angeles. Additionally, 17.9% of the authors live elsewhere in California, totaling 41.5% who live in the city or state. Rather than having a West Coast skew, as might be expected, the paper’s op-ed authors are highly concentrated in the Northeast with nearly one in four authors coming from Washington, D.C., New York City, or Boston, cities with their own nationally recognized newspapers. Many of the other authors live in the suburbs of these cities. As a consumer organization, we took note of the number of articles that pertained to consumer issues. Just 55 of 918, or 6%, of the articles concerned consumer issues. We categorized as consumer articles those relating to pocketbook or economic issues involving a consumer’s interaction with companies or commerce. These articles primarily centered around scams, insurance (auto, health, home), cybersecurity and privacy matters.
The race and gender diversity of authors on the Los Angeles Times op-ed page was also reviewed. Consumer Watchdog’s analysis found that the 619 authors published over a one-year period on the Los Angeles Times op-ed page do not represent the demographic diversity of Los Angeles. According to the Census Bureau’s 2016 ACS Survey, Hispanics are the largest racial and ethnic group in the City of Los Angeles, at 49%. White Angelinos make up 29%, Asians represent 11%, and3 Blacks 8% of the population. Men and women are equally represented. On the op-ed page, male authors (67%) outnumber female authors (33%) more than two to one. 82.1% of the authors were White. In contrast to the city’s diverse population, the proportion of White authors on the op-ed page is almost three times the proportion of White Angelinos. Moreover, only 23 out of the 619 (3.7%) authors on the op-ed4 page were Hispanic. Additionally, just 6% of the authors were Asian, and 3.2% were Black. Our one-year analysis of the op-ed page also found that op-ed authors did not reflect a diversity of professions. The vast majority of authors, 68.2%, were either academics, career writers, or both. Journalists represented a full 22.3% of authors. While these individuals’ expertise may be well-regarded, a page weighted toward the opinions of professional writers does not give voice to Los Angeles’s diverse communities.
As a point of comparison, Consumer Watchdog conducted a review of one month of articles at5 the New York Times op-ed page, between June 15 and July 15, 2018. The majority (66.7%) of New York Times op-eds concerned issues of national interest. 275 authors were represented, 143 men and 132 women. 25.5% were authors of color, including a higher percentage of Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern6 and African American authors than published at the Los Angeles Times op-ed page. In other words, the authors on the New York Times op-ed page more closely resemble the demographics of Los Angeles than those at the Los Angeles Times.
The only articulation we can find of the Los Angeles Times’s vision for the op-ed page is in an archived article from 2013 by former opinion editor and current editor of the Editorial Pages, Nicholas Goldberg. He wrote, “Our mandate, as we see it, is straightforward: to provide provocative, thoughtful commentary that is reasoned yet opinionated on a wide variety of subjects. …We want a page that is politically balanced over time — not leaning too heavily to the left or the right — but we don’t monitor it day to day, or count Democrats versus Republicans. Similarly, we seek diversity of thought and diversity of contributors — we want provocative ideas from people of all races, genders, religions, etc. — but7 again, we don’t try to balance the number of women to men on every single page.” This article can be found with a Google search, but not in a search of the Los Angeles Times website. We could find no instances in which the Times invited the public to submit an op-ed. A brief8 2014 post includes word length and op-ed submission instructions. Again, this article can be found through Google but not searching the Los Angeles Times website. The only link on the website referring to op-ed submissions is buried on the “About/Contact” page accessed in the website footer. Clicking that link sends the reader back to the home page, which does not contain instructions for submitting an op-ed. Conclusion: While the Times op-ed page may seek to mimic its New York cousin, the Los Angeles and New York papers have very different audiences. The New York Times is a national newspaper with three-quarters (76.6%) of its print subscribers outside of the state of New York. The Times’s niche is as a regional newspaper for Los Angeles, with additional focus on Latin America and the Pacific Rim. Nearly 63% of the Times’s print subscribers are in Los Angeles County, and 99% live in California. Instead of competing with New York for the biggest names or to be the most worldly, a new Times op-ed page should embrace the unique perspectives of Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Times should be able to pride itself on authors that reflect the diversity of the community, all unique but bound by a passion for storytelling. Prioritizing community submissions over professional writers’ does not need to mean the death of good writing or expertise. Civilians, mobilizers, public servants and community leaders have a rich knowledge of the world they live in. While it may be easier to edit the copy of professional authors, editors can help new authors shape their work to meet the paper’s high standards.
The Los Angeles Times will win readers’ trust by offering the local perspectives and opinions that readers cannot get anywhere else. Editors should solicit community input on a renewed vision for the op-ed page and commit the editorial resources to seeking out the voices and viewpoints the page is lacking. With new leadership and new resources, now is the time for the paper to renew the op-ed page and turn its focus back to the diverse voices of Los Angeles.
Data Tables9 Table 1: Article Subjects Politics Culture/Arts TrumpMoney Health Environment Tech Lifestyle10 50.7% 28.7% 19.4% 9.9% 8.9% 8.5% 5.0% 5.0% Table 1a: Political Articles Political ImmigrationInternational Crime and Guns Civil Poverty and Marijuana12 Culture Relations Law and RightsHomelessness EnforcementGun13 Control 26.0% 12.3% 11.6% 5.8% 5.2% 3.9% 3% 1.9%15 *The remaining 30.3% of political articles discussed politics in a broader sense. Table 1b: Culture/Arts Articles Race and Education Family Religion Sports Entertainment
Politics Culture/Arts Trump 10 Money Health Environment Tech Lifestyle 50.7% 28.7% 19.4% 9.9% 8.9% 8.5% 5.0% 5.0%
Political Culture 11 Immigration 12 International Relations Crime and Law Enforcement 13 Guns and Gun Control Civil Rights 14 Poverty and Homelessness Marijuana 26.0% 12.3% 11.6% 5.8% 5.2% 3.9% 3% 1.9%
Gender 34.2% 12.6% 9.1% 8.6% 7.2% 6.8% *The remaining 21.3% of culture/arts articles discussed culture in a broader sense. Table 1c: Environment Articles Policy Damage Natural Disasters 34.6% 21.8% 29.5% *The remaining 14.1% of environment articles discussed the environment and current issues in a broader sense.
Table 1d: Money Articles Economy Taxes Personal Finance 38.5% 28.6% 17.6% *The remaining 15.4% of money articles discussed monetary issues in a broader sense. Table 1e: Health Articles19 Health Care Mental Diet Reproductive 30.5% 20.7% 14.6% 9.8% *The remaining 24.4% of health articles discussed health in a broader sense. Table 1f: Technology Articles Social Media 19.6% *The remaining 80.4% of technology articles discussed technology in a broader sense. Table 1g: Lifestyle Articles Transit 23.9%20 *The remaining 76.1% of lifestyle articles discussed patterns and issues of lifestyle in a broader sense.
Gender16 34.2% 12.6% 9.1% 8.6% 7.2% 6.8%
Policy Damage Natural Disasters 34.6% 21.8% 29.5%
Economy17 Taxes Personal Finance18 38.5% 28.6% 17.6%
Health Care19 Mental Diet Reproductive 30.5% 20.7% 14.6% 9.8%
Table 2: Geographic Area of Concern US International CA LA 84.9% 19.9% 12.6% 10.1%22 Table 3: Professional Field of Author AcademicCareer NGO CommunitCivil Law Art/EntertBusiness Writer y Servant ainment 39.7% 34.3% 16.3% 7.9% 6.1% 5.2% 3.2% 2.1% Table 3a: Career Writer Articles Journalist Author, Novelist 65.1% of Career Writers 34.9% of Career Writers 22.3% of all Authors 12.0% of all Authors Table 3b: Community Articles Activists Faith Figures 34.7% of Community Authors 14.3% of Community Authors 2.8% of all Authors 1.1% of all Authors *The remaining 51% of community authors are members without a particular identification.
US International CA LA 84.9% 19.9% 12.6% 10.1%
Academic 23 Career Writer NGO24 Communit y25 Civil Servant Law Art/Entert ainment Business26 39.7% 34.3% 16.3% 7.9% 6.1% 5.2% 3.2% 2.1%
| Journalist27 | Author, Novelist28 |
|---|---|
| 65.1% of Career Writers | 34.9% of Career Writers |
| 22.3% of all Authors | 12.0% of all Authors |
| Activists | Faith Figures |
|---|---|
| 34.7% of Community Authors | 14.3% of Community Authors |
| 2.8% of all Authors | 1.1% of all Authors |
Table 4: Sex of Author Male Female 67% 33% Table 5: Race of Author Caucasian Hispanic East Asia Black South Asia Middle East 82.1% 3.7% 3.6% 3.2% 2.4% 1.3% *The remaining 3.7% of authors were either evidently bi-racial or unknown. Table 6: Residence of Author Los Angeles California Washington New York City Boston Other D.C.
23.6% 17.9% 10.8% 7.9% 3.4% 33.8% *The remaining 2.6% of authors’ residences were unknown.
New York Times: Table 1: Article Subjects Politics Culture Trump Health Money Lifestyle Tech Environm ent 51.1% 32.2% 14.5% 8% 4.2% 3.5% 3% 2.6% Table 1a: Political Articles Immigration Political International Civil Rights Crime and Guns and Gun Culture Relations Law Control Enforcement 18.2% 16.4% 8.8% 7.5% 6.3% 1.3% *The remaining 41.5% of political articles discussed politics in a general sense Table 1b: Culture/Arts Articles Race and Sports Religion Family Education Entertainment Gender 27% 23% 12% 10% 3% 2% *The remaining 23% of culture/arts discuss culture/arts in a general sense
Male Female 67% 33%
Caucasian Hispanic29 East Asia30 Black South Asia Middle East 82.1% 3.7% 3.6% 3.2% 2.4% 1.3%
Los Angeles California Washington D.C. New York City Boston Other 23.6% 17.9% 10.8% 7.9% 3.4% 33.8%
Politics Culture Trump Health Money Lifestyle Tech Environm ent 51.1% 32.2% 14.5% 8% 4.2% 3.5% 3% 2.6%
Immigration Political Culture International Relations Civil Rights Crime and Law Enforcement Guns and Gun Control 18.2% 16.4% 8.8% 7.5% 6.3% 1.3%
Race and Gender Sports Religion Family Education Entertainment 27% 23% 12% 10% 3% 2%
Table 1c: Health Articles Reproductive Mental Health Care Diet 28% 24% 16% 12% *The remaining 20% of health articles discuss health in a general sense Table 1d: Money Articles Economy Personal Finance 77% 15.4% *The remaining 7.7% of money articles discuss money in a general sense. Table 1e: Lifestyle Articles Transit 9% *The remaining 91% of lifestyle articles discuss lifestyle in a general sense. Table 1f: Environment Articles Policy Damage Natural Disasters 25% 25% 12.5% *The remaining 37.5% of environment articles discuss the environment in a general sense. Table 2: Geographic Area of Concern US International NY 62.4% 33.8% 1.6% Table 3: Professional Field of Author Career Academic CommunitNGO Art/EntertLaw Civil Business Writer y ainment Servant 38.9% 34.9% 8% 6.9% 5.8% 5.5% 4.4% 1.5% Table 3a: Career Writer Authors Journalist Author 56% 43.9% 21.8% 17.1%
Reproductive Mental Health Care Diet 28% 24% 16% 12%
Economy Personal Finance 77% 15.4%
Policy Damage Natural Disasters 25% 25% 12.5%
US International NY 62.4% 33.8% 1.6%
Career Writer Academic Communit y NGO Art/Entert ainment Law Civil Servant Business 38.9% 34.9% 8% 6.9% 5.8% 5.5% 4.4% 1.5%
| Journalist | Author |
|---|---|
| 56% | 43.9% |
| 21.8% | 17.1% |
Table 3b: Community Authors Activist Faith Figure 40% 9% 3.4% .7% *The remaining 50% of community authors are members without a particular identification. Table 4: Sex of Author Men Women 52% 48% Table 5: Race of Author Caucasian Black Hispanic E. Asia Mid. East S. Asia 71.6% 6.9% 5.8% 4.7% 4.4% 3.6% *The remaining 2.9% of authors were either evidently bi-racial or unknown.
| Activist | Faith Figure |
|---|---|
| 40% | 9% |
| 3.4% | .7% |
Men Women 52% 48%
Caucasian Black Hispanic E. Asia Mid. East S. Asia 71.6% 6.9% 5.8% 4.7% 4.4% 3.6%
