Los Angeles Times ousts Indian editor-in-chief

Some staffers sent letter to Tronic headquarters complaining about Maharaj's leadership

One of the biggest newspapers of Western Los Angeles, ‘The Los Angeles Times’ has ousted Indian Davan Maharaj, who was the publisher and editor-in-chief of the agency, reported CNNMoney.

Maharaj, who had held both jobs since March 2016, was dismissed on Monday, along with his top deputies; including the managing editor and the deputy managing editor for the digital section of the paper. He is being replaced by former Yahoo and Fox Interactive Media executive Ross Levinsohn, who will also be taking the position of publisher and CEO.

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Jim Kirk, previously the editor and publisher of Chicago Sun-Times, shall take the position of editor. Levinsohn told CNNMoney that he will try to position the Los Angeles Times for "sustainable, long-term growth. We're in a moment where the need for the LA Times-- for journalism, for facts and for reporting - has never been greater, and I see so much potential to grow our impact," Levinsohn said.

He said he'd seek to invest more in "groundbreaking journalism" about entertainment, art, tech, climate change, and other subject matter. The shake-up felt sudden, but Maharaj had been in repeated c lased with the Tronc CEO Justin Dearborn, Chairman Michael Ferro, and others at the parent company.

Tronic, previously known as Tribune Publishing, owns nine daily newspapers; the LA Times being the biggest one. Maharaj became editor in chief in 2011 and gained the publisher job in 2016. He was a polarizing presence at the newspaper, supported by some staffers but maligned by many detractors.

A lengthy feature article in Los Angeles magazine last year described how the Times newsroom, with Maharaj in charge, "has been overtaken by fear." According to authoritative local blog LAObserved,  there “has been upset in the newsroom over Maharaj's handling of the recent investigative series on former USC medical school dean Dr Carmen Puliafito. Some staffers had sent a letter to Tronc headquarters complaining about Maharaj's leadership."



Maharaj did not respond to requests for comment. And a Tronc spokesman declined to describe the reasons for Maharaj's dismissal, according to CNNMoney.

In an interview with CNN earlier this year, Maharaj pointed to recent investigative journalist hires and new digital extensions as evidence of the Times' ambitions. "We have to keep the print product vibrant, because it also provides most of the revenue right now," he said.