30.06.07

After escalating criticism from the Armenian American community for his role in obstructing an article on the Armenian Genocide this April and his discriminatory behavior against Armenian American reporters, Los Angeles Times Managing Editor Douglas Frantz has resigned effective July 6th and will be returning to Istanbul, reported the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR).

This past April Frantz �killed� a story on the Armenian Genocide that was written by Armenian American Los Angeles Times reporter Mark Arax. Frantz had erroneously accused Arax (who recently left the paper) of having a �conflict of interest� regarding reporting on the Armenian Genocide and had also circumvented the standard editorial process for reviewing articles. A subsequent internal investigation by the Times deemed Frantz�s accusations to be completely baseless.

This past April, the ANCA led a grassroots campaign to raise awareness regarding Frantz�s actions. Over 5,000 activists responded to an ANCA action alert and sent emails and letters calling for Frantz�s resignation. In addition, the ANCA-WR, California Courier Publisher Harut Sassounian and other community representatives met with the publisher and senior Los Angeles Times management on multiple occasions during the last several months to convey the community�s outrage regarding Frantz�s discriminatory actions.

�Doug Frantz�s resignation from the Los Angeles Times is an appropriate answer to his unprofessional behavior and anti-Armenian posture in the newsroom,� remarked ANCA-WR Board member Zanku Armenian. �The Los Angeles Times is a fine newspaper. The fact that Frantz is returning to Istanbul tells the full story of where he stands.� he added.

PanARMENIAN.Net