The Los Angeles Times might scrap Sunday's Current section to avoid the appearance that a romantic relationship between the paper's editorial page editor and a publicist for Hollywood producer Brian Grazer might have led to Grazer's selection as a guest editor.
Publisher David D. Hiller said late Wednesday that he was considering halting publication of this weekend's opinion section that was designed to feature a stable of writers assembled by Grazer. The producer of "A Beautiful Mind" and other hit movies was to be the first in a series of guest editors for Current.
But controversy emerged inside the paper this week when it was learned that public relations executive Kelly Mullens had been dating Andres Martinez, The Times' editorial page editor. Mullens has worked as a consultant and recently was listed on news releases promoting Grazer's collaboration with the paper.
Hiller said he intended to decide today whether to run an editor's note disclosing the relationship or to stop the edition before its scheduled Friday printing.
"I believe, based on everything that I have seen, that we have only the appearance of a conflict here," Hiller said. "I believe that the selection of Grazer was not based on this relationship. We have an appearance and not a case of actual undue influence.
"We want to do the right thing for our readers and for the paper," Hiller added.
Many reporters and editors in The Times' newsroom said they were unhappy about how readers might perceive the decision to let an outsider -- with the appearance of a special inside connection -- hold sway over the Sunday opinion and editorial pages.
Several journalists recalled how the newspaper's reputation for impartiality suffered in 1999 when it was revealed that The Times had shared profit from a special magazine edition with the management of Staples Center.
On Wednesday, reporters registered their dismay to Times Editor James E. O'Shea, who is the top editor for news and features in The Times but has no responsibility for its opinion pages.
"We're concerned that even the appearance of a conflict is enough to discredit the hard work of reporters and editors in the newsroom," said Charles Ornstein, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter. "This newspaper has worked very hard, even during these trying times, to consistently improve our coverage and remain upbeat about our future. To face a potential scandal is really discouraging."
