Los Angeles Times Editor James O’Shea announced this morning that the newspaper’s Managing Editor Doug Frantz will leave The Times.
Frantz gained notoriety in the Armenian community when in April he went out of his way to kill a story on the Armenian Genocide. The basis he used for killing the story were allegations that the Armenian American reporter, Mark Arax, who wrote the article had a “conflict of interest” on the subject and had circumvented the normal process for articles. Both of Frantz’s accusations were proven completely baseless according to an internal investigation.
Frantz’s accusations against journalist Mark Arax were discriminatory and unethical. The Armenian National Committee of America was in discussions with Times officials and is tracking the situation closely and issued an action alert urging LA Times readers to call for Frantz’s resignation due to this grave error in judgment.
“The ANCA is gravely concerned that a senior-level editor at the Los Angeles Times is seriously compromising journalistic and ethical standards, and possibly even breaking the law, by telling an Armenian American writer that he cannot report on the Armenian Genocide. The assertion, which documen’s seem to corroborate, is deeply troubling.” commented ANCA Western Region Board member Zanku Armenian at the start of this controversy.
Frantz’s last day will be July 6. He did not offer an explanation for his resignation.
